President Biden to address Morehouse College commencement

Published: May. 17, 2024 at 5:38 PM CDT
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WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - President Biden is continuing his outreach to Black voters. They’re a key voting bloc for Democrats in the November presidential election. On Sunday, he’ll deliver the commencement address at Morehouse College, a historically Black men’s college in Atlanta, Georgia.

President Biden continuing his efforts to make inroads with black voters as he travels to Georgia to deliver the commencement address at Morehouse College, a historically black men’s college in Atlanta. Recent polls have shown the president’s approval rating among black voters has declined. In an effort to win back this key coalition that helped to elect him to the white House in 2020, the president will tell these new graduates what his administration has done to benefit the black community.

Friday, President Joe Biden spoke at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. “We’re making historic investments in historic black colleges and universities.”

The white House says, since President Biden took office. Black household family wealth is up 60%, and more than 2.5 million jobs have been created for African Americans. Steve Benjamin is the Director of the Office of Public Engagement.

“The Biden-Harris administration has invested more than $16 billion in historically black colleges and universities, which is unprecedented a record amount. President Biden has also canceled $160 billion in student loans for over 4 million Americans, providing significant relief to all borrowers with significant impact on black borrowers.”

But some young black voters tell pollsters the president’s policies are not benefiting them. The president could encounter protests at Morehouse over his handling of the war between Israel and Hamas.

Biden administration official Steve Benjamin confirmed the First Amendment right to protest. “The right to free speech extends to even those who wish to protest, and he respects that. And he makes it a point to lean in when there are protesters in the very same space. So we respect that. I think as long as there are peaceful protests, that don’t disrupt the the amazing moment that is for each of those graduates day to day, I think we’ll all consider this a success.”

Morehouse President David Thomas has warned that he would halt graduation ceremonies if protesters interrupt the event.

Also Friday, the Biden-Harris campaign sent a memo to reporters, saying that they have been authentic and consistent. “This weekend is a continuation of that work. The President will attend an event on Saturday in Georgia focused on engaging Black voters, which will provide our Georgia state team additional support in their efforts to reach and organize the community. Serving in his official capacity, the President will then deliver the commencement address at Morehouse College Sunday morning. As Biden-Harris Co-Chair and Morehouse Alum Cedric Richmond perfectly stated, Morehouse College remains one of the most valued, celebrated and distinguished institutions of higher learning in the United States and is responsible for educating some of the most significant Black men in our country’s history. Given the way the Biden-Harris Administration has delivered for Black America, and HBCUs, there is no better speaker for this year’s commencement ceremony than President Biden.”

A recent New York Times poll shows him trailing Donald Trump by ten points, a key reason for him trying to shore up support with black voters at the white House.