President Joe Biden addressed the graduating class at Morehouse College on Sunday, acknowledging their protest voices regarding the Israel-Hamas war and expressing his sadness over the conflict in Gaza.
“I support peaceful nonviolent protest,” he reassured the students, some of whom wore keffiyeh scarves over their graduation robes. “Your voices matter, and I am listening.”
Biden referred to the crisis in Gaza as a humanitarian issue and urged for an immediate cease-fire to end the fighting and bring back the hostages taken during the Hamas attack on Israel. These comments, made towards the end of his speech reflecting on American democracy, marked his direct response to the campus protests sweeping the nation.
Although there was backlash over Biden being chosen as the commencement speaker, as some faculty and alumni opposed his approach to the war, the ceremony proceeded smoothly. Some graduates displayed solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza by wearing keffiyeh scarves and one draped in a Palestinian flag.
During his visit to Morehouse, Biden engaged with Black constituents as part of his outreach efforts, aiming to secure their support for the upcoming election. Following his speech in Atlanta, he headed to Detroit to address an NAACP dinner, seeking to strengthen his ties with Black voters in key states like Georgia and Michigan.
As part of this outreach, Biden met with various Black organizations and highlighted the importance of racial justice. His visit to a Black-owned business in Detroit and his speech at the NAACP dinner are strategic moves to secure support in Wayne County, a crucial area for his reelection bid.
