When word spread that President Joe Biden would serve as Morehouse College’s 2024 commencement speaker, a loud contingent of students and alumni demanded that the Atlanta-based Black college rescind the invitation.
They argued that Biden was on the wrong side of the Israel-Hamas war and that he was using Morehouse as a prop to increase his sagging poll numbers among Black male voters.
A top Morehouse official said in an interview Monday the college is continuing with its plans for Biden to speak at its May 19 ceremony.
“There are of course opinions saying that we should rescind the invitation,” said Morehouse Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Kendrick Brown. “But there are a number of individuals who recognize this opportunity and the prominence of the speaker and an opportunity for Morehouse to highlight its mission and to be able to use this venue to ask important questions. So from that perspective, we have not, at this point, thought about rescinding anything.”
Brown sat down with the AJC’s Politically Georgia team for a wide-ranging conversation with Tia Mitchell and Bill Nigut Monday morning. Read highlights or listen to the full interview.
Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
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