President Joe Biden delivered a commencement address at Morehouse College, showcasing his outreach to Black constituents as he prepares for the upcoming election. The speech was seen as an opportunity to address concerns from students and faculty over his support for Israel in its war against Hamas. The White House suggested that Biden would acknowledge these worries in his speech. Following Morehouse, Biden traveled to Detroit to address an NAACP dinner, focusing on engaging Black voters in key states for the upcoming election.
Biden, who narrowly won Georgia and Michigan in 2020, needs strong Black voter turnout to secure these states in the upcoming election. His outreach to Black constituents included meeting with various groups and individuals involved in civil rights activism. Despite some backlash from students and alumni at Morehouse College over his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, the school’s president defended Biden’s invitation, highlighting the tradition of social justice activism and order on historically Black college campuses like Morehouse.
Some students and faculty in the Atlanta University Center remain opposed to Biden’s appearance at Morehouse College, accusing school administrators of prioritizing political alliances over their values. While some protests have occurred in the lead-up to Biden’s commencement speech, there were no organized plans for disruptions during the ceremony itself. The school president emphasized tolerance for silent, non-disruptive protests but pledged to halt the ceremony if disruptions escalate.
In Detroit, Biden visited a Black-owned small business before delivering a keynote address at the NAACP’s Freedom Fund dinner. This event allowed Biden to reach a large audience in Wayne County, Michigan, a traditionally Democratic area that has shown signs of resistance to his reelection bid. The presence of a significant Arab American population in Wayne County, particularly in Dearborn, adds another dimension to Biden’s outreach efforts. Protest rallies against Biden’s visit were planned in Dearborn, highlighting the complexities of engaging diverse communities during an election year.
