Biden’s Graduation
Students at one of the country’s foremost historically black colleges are voicing their concerns as they gear up to welcome President Joe Biden for their graduation ceremony. They feel that the controversy surrounding his visit has cast a shadow over what should be a celebratory occasion.
Morehouse College
On Sunday, President Biden is scheduled to visit Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, to deliver the commencement address. However, this longstanding tradition is facing complexities due to criticisms of his approach to the Israel-Gaza conflict, prompting protests at colleges across the nation.
The upcoming speech at Morehouse College, situated in a crucial battleground state for President Biden’s potential re-election, underscores the significance of the approaching November presidential race.
Morehouse, among the 107 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States and the sole all-male HBCU, provides an opportunity for President Biden to engage with young black men—a pivotal demographic whose backing for the Democratic president has waned.
President David Thomas
Although Morehouse College has witnessed several demonstrations opposing the Gaza conflict, they have yet to reach the scale of those at other institutions. Nonetheless, discontent escalated in April when students’ grievances voiced during protests remained unaddressed, particularly with the announcement of Mr. Biden as the commencement speaker.
Following calls from students and faculty to revoke the president’s invitation, Morehouse College initiated forums on campus to allow for the expression of concerns. However, President David Thomas affirmed that Mr. Biden would indeed deliver the commencement address.
Marq Riggins, a 2024 Morehouse graduate, expressed his disillusionment, stating, “It makes me feel like it’s no longer about me. He’s coming here just to take pictures with us.
As part of the procedural process on Thursday, Morehouse faculty voted on awarding Mr. Biden an honorary degree at Sunday’s graduation. While some media reports suggested opposition within the faculty, they ultimately voted in favor of granting the honorary degree by a margin of 50-38. Mr. Riggins is not the only one expressing frustration and skepticism toward the president.
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According to a poll conducted on May 13 by the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and Siena College, which focused on swing states, President Biden is trailing behind with various demographics he is seeking to appeal to, including younger voters, voters in Georgia, and young black voters.
White House Office of Public Engagement
Black voters are a significant voting bloc for Democrats, particularly in Georgia, where approximately one-third of the population is black. In the 2020 election, President Biden secured victory in Georgia by a narrow margin of just 12,000 votes, marking one of the smallest state margins in his triumph over former President Donald Trump.
The White House has disregarded recent polls, highlighting instead the low unemployment rate among black individuals.
Leading up to his November rematch with Mr. Trump, President Biden is also promoting initiatives such as student debt cancellation, infrastructure investments, and over $16 billion in federal funding and investments in HBCUs to appeal to black voters.
Steve Benjamin, head of the White House Office of Public Engagement, informed reporters on Thursday that he visited Morehouse College last week to gather insights from students and faculty about what they hoped to hear on their significant commencement day.
According to Mr. Benjamin, many students expressed interest in discussing topics such as the Middle East, community reconnection, and wealth creation. He emphasized that the president supports free speech, even for those who may wish to protest during the event.
“I wouldn’t mind causing some disruption,” remarked Mr. Riggins. “It’s a chaotic blend of political agendas.”
Brycen Barnes, a graduating senior at Morehouse, expressed his support for Mr. Biden’s visit but hopes it will be more than a campaign event.
Mr. Trump
“I don’t necessarily see it as a negative,” he mentioned. “I appreciate having a president address us. I just hope his visit remains sincere and not solely political.
In the meantime, President Biden participated in two interviews on black radio stations, including one in Atlanta, during which he conveyed to listeners that he believes Mr. Trump’s tenure in office was detrimental to black communities.
Under Trump, black unemployment and uninsurance rates increased,” remarked President Biden. “His tax plan perpetuated discrimination, with typical white households receiving double the benefits compared to typical black households. Their mishandling of the COVID-19 response resulted in the loss of lives within the black community and the closure of black-owned businesses.
Board of Education Ruling
Karoline Leavitt, a campaign spokesperson for Mr. Trump, responded by suggesting that Mr. Biden is resorting to purchasing multimillion-dollar advertisements to garner support from what he believed to be his voter base.
Black and Hispanic voters, just like all Americans, are faring much worse now than they did under President Trump – and every poll confirms this,” Ms. Leavitt informed the BBC. “They have less money and face higher prices for everything, all while living under the leadership of a weak President who prioritizes the interests of illegal immigrants over theirs.
On Thursday, President Biden commemorated the 70th anniversary of Brown v. The Board of Education ruling was a significant milestone, declaring school segregation unconstitutional. Derrick Johnson, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), brushed aside inquiries regarding Mr. Biden and black voters, citing past inaccuracies in opinion polls.
Following the commencement, the president will journey to Detroit to speak at a dinner hosted by a local NAACP chapter.
Cedric Richmond, former US congressman and senior adviser to the Democratic National Committee who coordinated Mr. Biden’s visit to Morehouse, highlighted that the event presents an opportunity for the president to engage directly with young black individuals.
Students recognize the significance of having a president address their institution,” Mr. Richmond remarked to the BBC.
However, should Morehouse students decide to protest against Mr. Biden, as students have done at other graduations nationwide, Mr. Thomas has consistently stated that he will halt the ceremony.
