President Joe Biden sought input from Morehouse College alumni before delivering his commencement speech at the historically black college. Meetings were held with Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr. of the Morehouse Board of Trustees, as well as alumni Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, and Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed prior to the speech. The White House Office of Public Engagement Director, Steve Benjamin, also met with Morehouse College students to address concerns about the speech, assuring them it would not be campaign-related.
In other news, President Biden announced that he would participate in two debates against his rival, former President Donald Trump, rather than those organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates. One of the debates was scheduled to take place at VSU on Oct. 1, making it the first historically black university to host such an event. The Biden campaign emphasized their support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), pointing to a recent $16 billion funding announcement for these institutions.
A recent Wall Street Journal poll revealed a significant shift in black voters’ support, with 30% planning to vote for Trump over Biden, compared to the 92% support Biden received in the 2020 election. Black voters are projected to make up 14% of eligible voters in 2024, according to the Pew Research Center.
