President Joe Biden addressed the Morehouse College graduation ceremony on Sunday, touching on topics such as race and the conflict in Gaza.
In his commencement speech to the historically Black institution in Atlanta, Georgia, Biden congratulated the graduating class, emphasizing their participation in a revered tradition by earning a degree from Morehouse College. Concerns about potential interruptions following recent anti-Israel protests on campuses nationwide proved unfounded.
Biden referred to race multiple times during his speech, attributing his entrance into public service to the turmoil following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968. Dr. King was a Morehouse alumnus.
“Dr. King’s legacy deeply influenced me and my generation, irrespective of race. I left a prestigious law firm to become a public defender, then joined the county council to reform our state’s politics in support of civil rights,” Biden said.
“The Democratic Party in Delaware was akin to a southern Democratic Party then. We aimed to transform it into a northeastern Democratic Party.”
Highlighting diversity in his administration, Biden mentioned appointing Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court and naming Kamala Harris as the first Black female vice president.
Biden expressed pride in appointing the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, predicting that a Morehouse graduate might join the court one day. He also envisioned a Morehouse graduate becoming president, following a Howard University alumna and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, like Vice President Harris.
He acknowledged the student protests over the Gaza war, assuring that their concerns were heard amidst silent protests during his address. Biden also promoted his administration’s policies on race and funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
“I’ve supported workers’ rights on the picket lines and eased student debt burdens—many of you have benefited from this,” Biden stated. “Despite the Supreme Court’s opposition, I found alternative ways to provide relief.”
“In addition to the initial $7 billion investment in HBCUs, I’m committing $16 billion more to our historical institutions because they are crucial to our nation.”
Biden criticized those he believes are undermining freedoms, specifically targeting Georgia’s voting laws.
“Today in Georgia, you’re denied water while waiting to vote. What’s that about?,” Biden asked. “And there are constant attacks on Black election workers and insurrectionists waving Confederate flags being called patriots. Not in my administration.”
He also criticized former President Donald Trump, condemning his comments about illegal immigrants allegedly “poisoning” the country’s blood.
