Kamala Harris, who will script history as the first female, first Black and first South Asian US vice president on Wednesday, will be sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic justice in the US Supreme Court.
The 58-year-old vice president-elect was inspired by Justice Sotomayor’s background, ABC News reported, ahead of the presidential inauguration event on January 20.
They have both previously served as former prosecutors -- Harris in California, Sotomayor in New York. Sotomayor, 66, is third female justice in US Supreme Court history.
During her victory speech Harris weaved in an adage from her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, who often told her she would be the first to do many things, but urged her to open doors for others.
“While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last,” said Harris in November.
For the historic day, Harris has chosen to be sworn in using two Bibles. One previously belonged to Regina Shelton, who was like a second mother to Harris and her sister Maya.
Harris and Maya often visited Shelton’s house after school while their mother was still at work as a breast cancer researcher. Shelton lived two doors down from Harris’ home. Harris used Shelton’s Bible to take the oath of office to be attorney general of California and later to become a United States senator, CNN reported.
