Tuesday marked the start of presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris’ use of The Yard for her Election Night event. The Nov. 5 night consisted of performances, dancing and appearances by political figures.
Miss Howard sings the national anthem, kicking the night off – 8:15 p.m.
Damaris Moore, the 86th Miss Howard University, sang the National Anthem, commencing the Harris-Walz Election Night.
Moore said this moment is a testament to what Howard means to the world.
“Vice President Kamala Harris has already proven her value to the world and is showcasing what she learned here,” she said.
Moore said her participation in this event is something she will remember and share with others for the rest of her life. She was hopeful going into Election Night.
Howard’s choir performs following the national anthem – 8:20 p.m.
The Howard University Gospel Choir took the stage following the National Anthem.
The first song the choir sang was “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Black National Anthem.
Gabrielle Jackson is a senior criminology major and strategic legal communications minor from Howard County, Maryland. Jackson was honored to pay homage to the songwriters of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
“They made us a song because we weren’t seen,” she said.
Tamar-Lynn Jean, a senior health science major double minoring in chemistry and biology, performed with the choir. She said although the song is centered on the Black experience in America, it empowers any minority in the United States.
“Any minority [should] know that they have a place in this land. This is their home as well,” she said. “So they should be able to have a say so in singing that song [that] sends us a reminder that some of us may have forgotten.”
Jean said “Lift Every Voice and Sing” emphasized the need for Black and brown people to stand up for themselves, and the importance of having a president who will do the same.
People in the audience listened to the hymn with their fists in the air, a gesture historically used to signify Black power.
Next, the choir sang “Oh Happy Day.”
The choir members expressed their appreciation for being a part of this event and moment in history.
“I’m so grateful to be here and share the stage with her tonight. So blessed and honored that she would give us the honor of showing the world a little bit of the heart and souls of Howard University,” Jackson said.
Divine Nine Members perform – 8:40 p.m.
The Divine Nine arrived at The Yard for Vice President Harris’ event. Harris is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., crossing in 1986.
All nine fraternities and sororities arrived at The Yard around 5:20 p.m. Some were practicing for their upcoming performance on the side of the stage, near the Frederick Douglass Memorial Hall.
Elizabeth Wilson, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and a junior honors community health education major and chemistry minor from Georgia, said Vice President Harris’ presidential run contributes to the Divine Nine’s notoriety.
“To know that the potential next president of the United States is part of the Divine Nine allows people to learn the history behind them and in turn appreciate them,” she said.
Grace Delpit, another Howard student and member of Delta Sigma Theta, described Harris’ presidential run as inspiring.
“It is truly inspiring to know that [Harris] has stepped foot where we are now, and I have very high hopes for the night.”
HBCU Endzone founder Tracy Wright is an alumna of South Carolina State University and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
She commented on the significance of Harris’ status as a Divine Nine member and HBCU alumna.
“We’re claiming it into existence that [Harris] will be Madam president. It shows that an HBCU education can take you anywhere, and her being a part of the first sorority in the Divine Nine is just icing on the cake,” Wright said.
She also spoke about the power of the Divine Nine’s influence in this election.
“They’re showing that it’s a myth that Black men aren’t behind her because the D9 is certainly behind her,” she said.
Gregory Allen Jr., the 48th Mister Howard University, is a senior supply chain management major and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He described this experience as a living dream come true.
“The founders of the Divine Nine organizations came together in the heat of racism to create a foundation, a network system, that our community can lean on for years to come,” he said.
Allen is proud that the Divine Nine have been able to help Harris succeed.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser spotted – 11:30 p.m.
Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington, D.C., was seen speaking to the press in front of Blackburn. She wore a camouflage jacket with an “H” in the front and Harris’ face on the back.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) spotted in Armour J. Blackburn University Center – 12:40 a.m.
Nancy Pelosi walked from the Armour J. Blackburn University center to The Yard, greeting and shaking hands with people as she went. She was followed by her husband Paul Pelosi.
Update from Harris-Walz campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond – 12:44 a.m.
Concluding the night, Cedric Richmond, co-chair of the Harris campaign, announced Harris would not be speaking at the watch party.
He said the vice president’s absence was credited to ballot counting still being done and told attendees she would be coming back Wednesday to address the nation.
Copy edited by Jalyn Lovelady
