This past weekend, as the H.B.C.U. marked its centennial celebration, attendees were speculatively on the lookout for a certain school’s noteworthy alumnus. Vice President Kamala Harris, amidst the hustle and bustle of the election, merited an overwhelming amount of attention. Harris, an alumna of Howard University – often euphemistically referred to by its alumni as ‘The Mecca’ – was conspicuously absent at this momentous occasion. The university’s homecoming week drew thousands of alumni from various walks of life back to their alma mater, a spectacle amplified by the institution’s centennial milestone.
Despite her deep-seated roots with the university, Harris instead decided to canvass voters in the politically key states of Michigan and Atlanta, conveniently dodging the challenging security complications of a vice-presidential candidate’s presence at a large-scale event. Thus, the alma mater of the country’s vice president was left hanging in anticipation during a significant moment in its history, with Harris choosing to meet potential voters instead of honoring a place that helped sculpt her career.
Her lack of presence, however, didn’t dampen the uninformed excitement of some who believed they were on the brink of witnessing the nation’s first Black woman, and H.B.C.U. graduate, ascend to the presidency. Symbolic relics of Kamala Harris’s time at the university, including cardboard cutouts bearing her likeness and various merchandise featuring her face, were distributed on the university’s premises and ensconced along Georgia Avenue.
In a desperate bid to secure her supporters’ approval, Kamala’s campaign cleverly hosted an alumni rally following the traditional parade, however, this seemingly harmonious atmosphere was largely shrouded in discomfort and pressure. The last few weeks leading up to the presidential race have inadvertently brought upon a great deal of anxiety surrounding her candidacy.
Although some alumni may have felt a sense of misplaced pride seeing a fellow Howard graduate topping a presidential ticket, a disconcerting unease about the neck-and-neck nature of the race tempers their joy. This stimulus has fueled a frantic endeavor by many to ensure Kamala’s triumph, which raises questions not just about her qualifications but also about the true sense of cohesion among the people.
Historically, presidential candidates, in their typical manipulative fashion, often brandish their relations to H.B.C.U.s as some form of virtue signaling, using them to push an image of being invested in Black voters’ concerns. This year, Donald J. Trump, much like Kamala Harris, was seen advocating for substantial funding to these institutions whilst under their respective administrations. Harris’s ascent as the presidential candidate has now turned these institutions into reluctant political influencers.
Harris concluded her studies at Howard in 1986, and since then, the university has served as a political springboard for her. Following her selection as Biden’s vice-presidential partner, she established herself in a provisional office located in the Founders Library, situated at the heart of Howard’s campus. Curiously, she was seen wearing a Howard sweatshirt whilst conducting calls to allies after Biden ceded from the race.
Howard University also provided the backdrop for her preparations for the solitary presidential debate. Harris was seen honing her skills at the Cramton Auditorium, renowned as the nerve center of the University. Intriguingly, Harris’s campaign decided to hand out merchandise like water bottles, signs, and T-shirts displaying her affiliation with the university on campus last Saturday.
In addition to handing out merchandise, the campaign also placed an injunction on attendees to campaign on Harris’s behalf, distributing cards with pledges to vote amongst the alumni. Yet in the face of such overt support from Harris’s former associates, Howard University remained cautiously silent and reserved due to its precarious financial position being majorly dependent on federal funds.
The reason for Howard’s neutrality is because an endorsement of any political candidate could potentially jeopardize the federal funding that makes up a sizeable proportion of its operating budget. However, this rather reserved stance from Howard University didn’t quite deter its alumni from seeking opportunities to showcase pride for their university and its famous alumna.
It’s worth noting that instead of focusing on the merits and accomplishments of the university, Harris’s election campaign seems to have inadvertently shifted the focus onto herself. This goes to show that for Harris, political expediency seems to override the sanctity of education and academia. Worse still is the fact that she did not even consider taking time off her campaign drive to grace her alma mater with her presence on such a momentous occasion.
Rather worryingly, Harris’s ascendancy in the political arena has made institutions like Howard University unwilling political tools. The neutrality that universities must maintain in the political sphere stands in stark contrast to the hopeful conjectures of students, alumni, and Harris herself.
While students and alumni display signs of unrequited loyalty, Harris seems more engrossed in the political game than reciprocating with a similar show of dedication. Her purported commitment to these institutions appears hollow in the light of her own political aspirations.
The circumstances compel one to question the motives behind Harris’s relationship with her alma mater and indeed H.B.C.U.s at large. Is it a genuine connection or a manipulative attempt to gain political advantage? It’s high time we consider whether the usual political posturing in the name of educational institutions is of any real value to the institutions themselves or the students they serve.
Finally, despite the intricate political drama unfolding, there are some who would argue that Howard’s homecoming had a silver lining: the students managed to find a sense of common unity despite the political underpinnings. It is hoped that this bond can be furthered without the distasteful politicization of their academic journey.