As the election season nears, there seems to be an increase in political movement across the country. Morehouse College invited President Joe Biden to give a graduation speech on Sunday, May 19, 2024. However, pro-Palestine protesters upended the ceremony.
Several protesters gathered around the college in Atlanta in what was somewhat of a demonstration. One protester spoke in a rather loud voice, calling Biden a liar and demanding a ceasefire.
Morehouse College is a historically black college, which is also known as the alma mater of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. The news of Biden giving the commencement speech and being an honorary degree recipient has generated backlash, which led to the demonstration.
Since April, there have been multiple protests at the college, mostly because of how the Biden administration has handled the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Student protestors demanded that the college uninvite Biden.
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Morehouse President David Thomas insisted that Biden would give the address regardless of the threat of demonstrations. He also swore to end the event if, by any chance, the protesters overran the event.
The video, posted by Professor Andrew Douglas to X, captured the entirety of the incident. Today, Douglas captioned his post with a tribute to Malcolm X, whose posthumous birthday was that day. Malcolm X was a well-known black activist during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. In the videos posted, several protesters were seen waving Palestinian flags while styling keffiyehs.
According to a post by Matt Brown on X, Associate Provost Mel Foster spoke to the crowd before the graduating students took their seats. Mel Foster added that while the College respects free speech, the students must follow the laid-down guidelines.
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The college’s valedictorian, Jeremiah Fletcher, gave his speech before Biden could give his. He was seen wearing a Palestinian flag, which was pinned to his graduation cap and gown.
Fletcher began his speech by paying homage to Martin Luther King Jr. He spoke of King Jr.’s social justice legacy, stating that it is only reasonable that the graduating class take any chance available to show their support for justice and peace. His speech came on the same day that the Palestinians and the Israelis were celebrating their Nakba Day and Independence Day, respectively.
He ended his speech by saying it was his duty as a human to call for an end to the conflict in the Gaza Strip. The crowd gave him a standing ovation, and Biden gave him a handshake.
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As President Biden climbed the podium to give his speech, about 500 students turned their backs. The president, following a similar pattern, addressed the Gaza conflict, ending his speech with a request for the release of hostages. He later received an ovation at the end of his speech.
As November election day approaches, President Joe Biden is doing everything he can to solidify his support base.
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