Fact Check: Yes, Harris Once Said European Explorers Brought
Devastation, Violence and Disease
C-SPAN
Claim:
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said European explorers "ushered in a wave of devastation for tribal nations — perpetrating violence, stealing land and spreading disease."
Rating:
Context:
Harris made the remarks in 2021, not recently, as viral posts in 2024 implied.
In October 2024, less than a month before the 2024 presidential election, a video of the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, went viral in which she appeared to state:
It is an honor, of course, to be with you this week as we celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, as we speak truth about our nation's history. Since 1934, every October, the United States has recognized the voyage of the European explorers who first landed on the shores of the Americas. But that is not the whole story. That has never been the whole story. Those explorers ushered in a wave of devastation for tribal nations — perpetrating violence, stealing land and spreading disease. We must not shy away from this shameful past, and we must shed light on it and do everything we can to address the impact of the past on Native communities today.
The video was shared on dozens of accounts, racking up millions of views. Some social media users' posts implied the statement was made on Oct. 14, 2024, the day marking both Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day.
"Kamala Harris perfectly sums up her hatred for the founding of America," one conservative commentator wrote. "Just when I thought she couldn't be any worse, the next day happens," one user posted. "This was 2021 but your comment is still correct," another user wrote.
The video was authentic — meaning it was not AI-generated or otherwise digitally altered. Harris made the remarks during the 78th annual convention of the National Congress of American Indians on Oct. 12, 2021.
The speech is publicly available on C-SPAN (the statement in question begins at 1:09):
The official transcript is also available on the White House website, and the official YouTube account of the National Congress of American Indians also posted the speech.
In sum, because the video of Harris is authentic and the viral posts did not misquote her comments, we have rated this claim as a correct attribution.
Sources:
Vice President Harris Remarks at National Congress of American Indians Convention | C-SPAN.Org. https://www.c-span.org/video/?515294-1/vice-president-harris-remarks-national-congress-american-indians-convention. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.
The White House. 'REMARKS BY VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AT THE NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS 78TH ANNUAL CONVENTION'. The White House, 12 Oct. 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/10/12/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-at-the-national-congress-of-american-indians-78th-annual-convention/.
- YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXUY78ACLbo. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.
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