Fact Check: Did Kamala Harris criticize European explorers in July 4th speech?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid celebrations surrounding the 250th Independence Day of the United States, a video began circulating on social media platforms claiming to show former Vice President Kamala Harris criticizing European explorers in her July 4 speech, drawing backlash. Let us analyze the video and fact-check its authenticity.
Claim: Kamala Harris slammed European explorers in her Fourth of July speech
In the viral video posted on X (formerly Twitter), Kamala Harris began by saying, "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."
She went on to say, "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. We must shed light on it and do everything we can to address the impact of the past on Native communities today."
The video has triggered a wave of backlash against the former vice president, with many questioning her patriotism.
Fact Check: The video is not from Kamala Harris' Fourth of July speech
While the video is authentic, the statement is not recent, nor was it made on the Fourth of July.
Harris made the remarks during the 78th annual convention of the National Congress of American Indians on October 12, 2021.
The virtual address was delivered the day after a federal holiday originally named for Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer who arrived in the Americas in 1492.
Donald Trump's America 250 speech
President Donald Trump declared America “stronger, freer, richer, safer, and prouder than ever before” during his speech marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“Tonight our country is stronger, freer, richer, safer, and prouder than ever before,” the 80-year-old said as he celebrated the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence at the National Mall on Saturday.
He went further, calling the US “the most extraordinary, most exceptional, most incredible nation ever to exist on the face of the earth.”
“And we're doing better now than we've ever done before,” he added.
