Jackson, 58, sent shockwaves through social media when she confessed her controversial views about the Democratic 2024 presidential nominee to The Guardian.
She said: ‘Well, you know what they supposedly said? She’s not black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian.’
‘Her father’s white. That’s what I was told. I mean, I haven’t watched the news in a few days. I was told that they discovered her father was white.’
In response to a whirlwind of criticism and disappointment with the popstar’s comments – which are similar to ones made by Republican 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump – her manager issued a statement to Buzzfeed.
Janet Jackson, pictured during a British TV interview, has claimed Kamala Harris is not black and that the Vice President’s father is white
Donald Trump said that Harris ‘happened to turn black’ while discussing her race with black journalists in July, with the former president since doubling-down
Mo Elmasri, Jackson’s manager, tried to clear the air by saying Jackson was misinformed on the matter.
She told Buzzfeed: ‘She deeply respects Vice President Kamala Harris and her accomplishments as a Black and Indian woman.
‘Janet apologizes for any confusion caused and acknowledges the importance of accurate representation in public discourse.’
She ended off the statement by saying that her and Jackson are ‘committed to promoting unity.’
But this attempt to save her image did not go over well with everyone.
One X user posted: ‘Janet Jackson sounded an absolute fool in that interview and I am very disappointed.’
Harris was born to Shyamala Gopalan, an Indian cancer researcher and Donald Harris, a black economics professor from Jamaica (pictured together in the 1960s)
Are you surprised Janet Jackson apologised?
‘We are less than 50 days away from the election. We gotta talk smarter!’
Another user posted on X: ‘Janet Jackson is one of the most influential people in music history. It was simply irresponsible of her to repeat something she “heard” regarding the very thing that they use against Kamala! Her own race.
Harris, 59, was born in 1964 to Dr Shyamala Gopalan, an Indian-born cancer researcher, and Donald J. Harris, a black Jamaican economics professor.
The couple wed in 1963 and separated in 1971, after welcoming Kamala and her younger sister Maya, 57.
Gopalan died of cancer in 2009 aged 70, while Donald Harris, 86, is now a professor emeritus of economics at Stanford University after retiring in 1998.
Jackson’s late brother Michael faced controversy about his skin after it changed color from black to white over the course of his career. He blamed a medical condition called vitiligo and denied bleaching his skin.
Trump doubles down on claims Harris ‘recently’ decided to be black
Trump claimed Harris ‘happened to turn black’ while addressing a the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention in Chicago in July.
He said: ‘She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage.
‘I didn’t know she was black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn black, and now she wants to be known as black.
‘So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she black?
‘I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t, because she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went – she became a black person. I think somebody should look into that too.’
Harris shrugged off the remarks days later accusing Trump of ‘the same old show, the divisiveness and the disrespect.’
She added: ‘The American people deserve better.’
Trump is pictured at the National Association of Black Journalists event in Chicago in July where he made the remarks about Harris’ race
The vice president has yet to comment on Jackson’s remarks about her race.
Trump’s comments on Harris race outraged many conservatives, with even his own supporters said to be annoyed at the former president for not focusing on attacks on Harris’ policies.
Earlier this month, Trump appeared to double down on his comments about Harris’ race.
‘I don’t care what she is. I don’t care. Whatever she wants to be is okay with me.’
Polls show that the race between Trump and Harris remains on a knife edge ahead of election day on Tuesday November 5.
