- Zohran Mamdani listed himself as both Asian and Black on his 2009 Columbia application
- He wrote "Ugandan" in a free-response section on the Columbia University form
- Mamdani was born in Uganda to Indian and Ugandan parents and holds dual US citizenship
Zohran Mamdani, the Indian-origin Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, listed his race as both "Asian" and "Black or African American" on his 2009 application to Columbia University, the New York Times reported.
As Mr Mamdani campaigns to become the first Muslim and South Asian mayor of New York City, his background has been a subject of discussion.
In the application to Columbia University, Mr Mamdani, who was 17 at the time, checked boxes identifying himself as both "Asian" and "Black or African American." He also wrote in "Ugandan" in a free-response section. He was not admitted to the institution.
At the time of the application, Mr Mamdani had recently completed his secondary education in New York. Born in Kampala in Uganda, to Indian film director Mira Nair and Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani, he spent parts of his childhood in Uganda, South Africa, and the United States. He was naturalised as a US citizen in 2018 and now holds dual citizenship.
In an interview conducted on Thursday, Mr Mamdani, 33, said he does not identify as Black or African American, but rather "an American who was born in Africa."
"Most college applications don't have a box for Indian-Ugandans," he said. "So I checked multiple boxes trying to capture the fullness of my background."
The Columbia application form at the time, accessed by the New York Times, included standard racial identity checkboxes along with a field to provide additional detail. Mr Mamdani stated that he used that space to write "Ugandan."
Mr Mamdani said he completed all of his college applications in the same manner and added that this incident was the only context in which he recalled using the "Black or African American" identifier.
Since entering politics, Mr Mamdani has championed his South Asian and Muslim heritage. In his campaign materials and public addresses, he has frequently referenced his upbringing in Uganda and South Africa and the immigrant experience of his family.
He has used cultural symbols from Urdu and Bangla language campaign ads, to his occasional appearance in a traditional South Asian kurta. On his official New York State Assembly website, he identifies himself as the first South Asian man and the first Ugandan to serve in the body.
Mr Mamdani has faced difficulties building strong support among Black voters. In the Democratic primary, his rival Andrew Cuomo won a majority of Black precincts by an 18-point margin in the first round. Black voters remain a key constituency in the coalition Mayor Eric Adams is seeking to consolidate ahead of the November general election.
