‘Black or African American’: Zohran Mamdani Identity In His College Application

Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, who has campaigned on his identity as a Muslim and South Asian immigrant, responded to questions surrounding his Columbia University college application. The New York Times reported that Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, selected both “Asian” and “Black or African American” when asked to identify his race. The data, sourced from internal Columbia records leaked during a cyberattack, indicated that Mamdani identified as African American while applying, despite not claiming that identity publicly.

Candidate Cites Lack of Specific Categories for Background

Mamdani explained that he selected multiple boxes to reflect his heritage as an Indian-Ugandan, given that most college forms do not include a category for Indian-Ugandan applicants. “Most college applications don’t have a box for Indian-Ugandans, so I checked multiple boxes trying to capture the fullness of my background,” he told The New York Times. He also clarified that the application offered space to include specific information, in which he wrote “Ugandan.”

Mamdani Says He Doesn’t Identify as Black or African American

Following the report, Mamdani clarified that he does not identify as either Black or African American. “I consider myself an American who was born in Africa,” he said. Mamdani did not gain admission to Columbia University. At the time of his application, his father was a professor at the institution. Mamdani eventually attended Bowdoin College in Maine, where he studied Africana studies.

Mamdani Emphasises Heritage During Campaign Trail

Throughout his mayoral campaign, Mamdani has highlighted his South Asian and Muslim roots. During his run against Andrew Cuomo, he made appeals to immigrant communities across New York. Earlier this week, Mamdani secured a strong victory in the Democratic primary and will face Mayor Eric Adams, who is Black, in the upcoming general election. “As the first South Asian elected official, the first Muslim elected official to ever run for mayor, the turnout in those same communities has been incredible to see,” he told NPR.

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