Kamala Harris' niece Meena, 37, pens Washington Post op-ed telling parents to 'teach anti-racism at home' by saying the US was founded by white supremacists, reading Nikole Hannah-Jones and joining her book club 

  • Meena Harris, the niece of Vice President Kamala Harris, told parents to teach their kids that U.S. was founded by 'white supremacists'   
  • 'They need to tell stories that say what politicians are afraid to, and what so many teachers now can't,' she wrote in a Washington Post op/ed on Tuesday 
  • She continued: '[T]his country was stolen from Indigenous people, founded by white supremacists, and built on the backs of enslaved people.' 
  • Her op/ed also promoted her new book club, 'which spotlights the work of underrepresented authors, particularly women of color' 
  • It comes as Republicans across the country oppose the teaching of Critical Race Theory in their kids schools 

Kamala Harris' niece Meena has said parents can teach 'anti-racism at home' by telling their children the U.S. was founded by white supremacists and by filling their bookshelves with the works of 1619 Project founder Nikole Hannah-Jones.

In a Washington Post op/ed published Tuesday night, Harris detailed how parents can educate kids by talking to them about the 'racism' that shapes America and how the country was 'stolen from Indigenous people'. 

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She also took the opportunity to promote her own book club, Phenomenal Books, 'which spotlights the work of underrepresented authors, particularly women of color.' 

'It's time all American families start taking time at home to discuss the injustices that shaped our nation's past, the work still to be done in our present, and the values that should define our future,' she wrote.

'Titles that teach kids to value — not just tolerate — each other's differences are certainly important,' Harris continued. 'But with many of our schools failing to offer a curriculum or environment that combats racism, simply reading representative books to our kids isn't enough.'

She further explained: 'Parents need to share narratives with their children that are historically accurate and anti-racist.'

'They need to tell stories that say what politicians are afraid to, and what so many teachers now can't: that this country was stolen from Indigenous people, founded by white supremacists, and built on the backs of enslaved people — and that racism shapes our society to this day,' she penned.  

Meena Harris (right) the 37-year-old niece of Vice President Kamala Harris (left), told parents in order educate children about racial tolerance, they must teach them the U.S. was founded by 'white supremacists'
Harris (pictured with husband Nikolas Ajagu and daughters Amara and Leela) also promoted her new book club, 'which spotlights the work of underrepresented authors, particularly women of color'
The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones is promoted in Harris' new book club
Harris told parents to have their kids read Your Legacy by Broadway director Schele Williams.

New York Times' 1619 Project: 'Reframing' American history to argue slavery was the country's origin

In August 2019 the New York Times Magazine published the 1619 project, a collection of essays, photo essays, short fiction pieces and poems aimed to 'reframe' American history based on the impact of slaves brought to the US.

It was published to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of enslaved Africans in the English colonies.

It argues that the nation's birth was not 1776 with independence from the British crown, but in August 1619 with the arrival of a cargo ship of 20 to 30 enslaved Africans at Point Comfort in the colony of Virginia, which inaugurated the system of slavery.

The project argues that slavery was the country's origin and out of it 'grew nearly everything that has truly made America exceptional.'

That includes economic might, industry, the electoral system, music, public health and education inequities, violence, income inequality, slang, and racial hatred. 

However, the project is debated among historians for its factual accuracy.

In March 2020 historian Leslie M. Harris who served as a fact checker for the project said authors ignored her corrections, but believed the project was needed to correct prevailing historical narratives.

One aspect up for debate is the timeline. 

Time Magazine said the first slaves arrived in 1526 in a Spanish colony in what is now South Carolina, 93 years prior to the landing in Jamestown. 

Some experts say slaves first arrived at present-day Fort Monroe in Hampton, instead of Jamestown. 

Others argue the first Africans in Virginia were indentured servants as laws on lifetime slavery didn't appear till 17th century and early 18th century, but worked essentially as slaves. 

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Meenakshi Harris, 37, is married to Nikolas Ajagu. The couple have two daughters, Amara and Leela. Harris is also the niece of the first female and minority vice president.

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The goal of Harris' op/ed was to provide tips to parents on how to teach their kids about racism and tolerance at home if schools are failing in that area – specifically referencing Republican states that have banned or oppose the teaching of Critical Race Theory. 

She highlighted two books in her piece – The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson and Your Legacy by Broadway director Schele Williams.

Born on the Water is one of the two inaugural books being featured in Harris' Phenomenal Book Club. The other is The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones.

'Over the last year-and-a-half, as the coronavirus pandemic triggered school closures, haphazard virtual learning setups, and confusing safety guidelines, parents of school-age children have been driven to the brink — juggling their jobs with a full-time commitment to ensuring their kids are getting a safe, quality education,' Harris added.

'For parents of color, including myself, that health crisis has been compounded by a racial justice crisis,' she continued. 'While we navigated both crises, Republican lawmakers in 28 states have sought to bar educators from discussing racism, equity and justice in classrooms.'

The op/ed comes as the teaching of CRT in public schools has become one of the central debates regarding education across the country. 

It became a focal point of the Virginia gubernatorial race which saw Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin storm to victory over Democrat Terry McAuliffe. 

One of the core teachings of CRT claims that racism is rooted in the creation of America and affects every aspect of the nation's society, specifically U.S. law and the criminal justice system.

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Harris said the at-home teaching has become particularly important recently as school closures have affected much of the country in the midst of the near two-year pandemic. 

Harris is a lawyer, children's book author and the founder of the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign, which creates fashion to support charity – of the latter came her newest endeavor with a book club.

Harris' Phenomenal Book Club promotes two Nikole Hannah-Jones' books as part of her inaugural book club books, including the origin The 1619 Project

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