TLDR:
Harris celebrates at Howard University
Howard shaped her political journey
Historic ties between Harris and Howard
WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Thursday Times) — Vice President Kamala Harris will spend Election Night at Howard University, the historically Black college in Washington, D.C., that has profoundly shaped her life and career. Returning to her alma mater holds significant meaning for Harris, who has often credited Howard with igniting her passion for public service and developing her confidence as a leader. The campus, steeped in a history of nurturing generations of Black excellence, remains central to her identity.
Howard University, established just after the Civil War in 1867, has always been more than just a place of higher education. It has served as a beacon of opportunity for Black Americans, a foundation that Harris found transformative when she enrolled in 1982. As she wrote in The Truths We Hold, her memoir, Howard’s legacy and resilience inspired her. “Howard is an institution with an extraordinary legacy,” she reflected, highlighting the university’s endurance in the face of systemic barriers that historically restricted Black students from accessing higher education.
The influence of Howard’s culture on Harris was profound. In her writings and public speeches, she often emphasises how the university instilled a sense of purpose and a belief in boundless potential. Harris recalled moving into her first dorm, Eton Towers, with anticipation and dreams that Howard would help her realise. “Every signal told students that we could be anything—that we were young, gifted, and Black, and we shouldn’t let anything get in the way of our success,” she wrote. Her years on campus were transformative, laying the groundwork for the drive and determination she later brought into her legal and political careers.
Shaping a future leader
Howard provided Harris with a nurturing yet demanding environment. She studied economics and political science, disciplines that underpinned her future in public service. But the university experience extended beyond academics; it was a crucible of activism and leadership. Howard expected greatness, pushing students to meet their full potential. Harris has recounted the empowering atmosphere, where she and her peers were constantly encouraged to lead and make meaningful contributions to society.
The university’s role in Harris’s formation is evident in her historical significance as the first vice president to have graduated from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). When she took office, Howard celebrated her triumph as a moment of immense pride, a milestone symbolising progress and a break from traditional expectations. Harris’s journey has served as a powerful example to future generations of Howard students, affirming that dreams nurtured there can indeed reach the highest echelons of power.
Enduring legacy and representation
Howard University’s president, after Harris’s inauguration, underscored the vice president’s impact on the national psyche and her trailblazing example. In a heartfelt letter, he praised Harris for breaking barriers and providing a roadmap for future leaders. Her message, “I may be the first woman to hold this office. But I won’t be the last,” encapsulates a legacy that goes beyond her historic win. For Howard, her success stands as an emblem of the institution’s mission to empower and elevate its community, ensuring that no child of any background should feel confined in their ambitions.
Her ties to Howard remain unbreakable, and Election Night at the university underscores this lasting bond. The campus serves as a reminder of the place where Harris’s voice found resonance, and her political aspirations took root. The night will not only reflect her personal journey but will also symbolise a celebration of the broader struggle for representation, equality, and progress.