Democratic socialist New York City mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani has found himself embroiled in a controversy surrounding his racial identity. A resurfaced video shows Mamdani stating that identifying himself as African American would be “misleading,” despite marking “Black or African American” on his Columbia University application.
The controversy began when a video surfaced of Mamdani speaking to a performance artist, Crackhead Barney, on the street in April. When asked if he would claim African American status, Mamdani replied, “No, I would not… I’m proud to be Ugandan, but I think that is misleading.” This statement contradicts his application to Columbia University, where he reportedly checked both “Asian” and “Black or African American” as his race.
Mamdani defended his actions, explaining that he selected multiple boxes due to the limited options available on the application, aiming to capture the “fullness of my background.” He specified “Ugandan” in a section for additional personal data, emphasizing that he doesn’t identify as either Asian or Black, but rather as “an American who was born in Africa”.
The controversy has sparked a heated debate among Black New Yorkers, with some labeling Mamdani a “fraud” and “trickster.” A Bronx resident named Joshua stated, “He’s a liar. Point-blank, period. We don’t need a lying mayor or a mayor that says he’s Black so he can get Black people to vote for him.” Another resident, Maria R., added, “I always knew something was off about him. Why are you claiming something that you are not? He could’ve potentially took away an opportunity for someone else”.
The controversy surrounding Mamdani’s racial identity has raised questions about his authenticity and trustworthiness as a candidate. As the NYC mayoral race heats up, Mamdani’s opponents may seize on this issue to challenge his credibility. Despite this, Mamdani remains the leading contender in the NYC mayoral race, and his campaign will likely need to address this controversy head-on to maintain the trust of his supporters.
