By Candace Mcduffie
President Joe Biden gave a highly anticipated commencement speech at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Many speculated that the students at the ceremony would stage pro-Palestine protests…and thatâs exactly what happened.
More than 400 students graduated Sunday; during Bidenâs speech, several of them â some wearing keffiyehs â turned their chairs around to face away from Biden because of policy decisions in Israelâs conflict with Hamas.
Just before Biden went on stage for his address, Morehouse valedictorian DeAngelo Fletcher called for an âimmediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza stripâ during his address.
âFrom the comfort of our homes, we watch an unprecedented number of civilians mourn the loss of men, women and children, while calling for the release of all hostages,â Fletcher said. His words were met with applause from the audience as well as Biden, who also shook Fletcherâs hand.
The president acknowledged the students protesting during his speech. âLet me be clear: I support peaceful, nonviolent protest. Your voices should be heard, and I promise I hear them,â he stated. In addition, Biden stated that he is âworking around the clockâ for an immediate ceasefire.
He also explained how his administration is working to support Black Americans.
âInstead of forcing you to prove youâre 10 times better, weâre breaking down doors so you have 100 times more opportunities â good-paying jobs you can raise a family on in your neighborhood, capital to start small businesses, loans to buy homes, health insurance, prescription drugs, housing thatâs more affordable,â Biden said.
With the general election happening in November, Bidenâs speech was saturated with religious themes of adversity and resilience but served as a warning about what could happen to Black folks if Trump is elected.  âThey donât see you in the future of America, but theyâre wrong,â Biden said. âTo me, we make history, not erase it. We know Black history is American history.â