President Biden will deliver the commencement address at Morehouse College where some faculty members have raised concerns about the choice, prompting officials to fear protests by teachers and students.
Mr. Biden will speak at Morehouse, one of the nation’s premier historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), on May 19 as he tries to woo younger Black voters ahead of the November election.
University officials at the Atlanta school are scheduled to have a virtual meeting on Thursday to discuss Mr. Biden’s selection, so that “faculty with different perspectives” can ask questions and make comments, according to an NBC News report.
The report said that Kendrick Brown, Morehouse College’s provost and senior vice president, convened the meeting out of concern that faculty members and students could protest Mr. Biden’s support for Israel in its war against Palestinian militants in Gaza, as has happened on college campuses across the country since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
Mr. Brown wrote in his email that the college doesn’t plan to rescind its invitation to Mr. Biden. Thursday’s meeting is for faculty to ask questions about the invitation that has already been “extended and accepted,” according to NBC News.
Morehouse College did not respond to a request for comment from The Washington Times.
Protests have escalated this week at college campuses across the country, with more than 150 protests arrested Monday night at New York University. Anti-Israel protesters armed with flare guns marched toward the New York Police Department headquarters to demand their release.
Meanwhile, Columbia University will hold classes remotely after pro-Palestinian students shut down the college. The NYPD entered the campus last week to break up the protests, resulting in the arrest of over 100 participants.
Morehouse has had its share of protests regarding the war. In February, the school’s student newspaper reported that a student pulled an Israeli flag down from the chapel and was detained by campus police.
Commencement season is typically active for sitting presidents, who view the events as opportunities to connect with young voters through their addresses. The Morehouse speech would be a solid opportunity for Mr. Biden, who is struggling to keep the support of both young progressives and Black voters.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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