May 17th 2024.
According to NBC News, Morehouse College has recently announced that President Joe Biden will be receiving an honorary doctorate at their upcoming graduation ceremony, despite opposition from some faculty members. This decision has caused some tension among the faculty, with some voting against the decision or choosing to withhold their vote due to frustrations with certain policies and the school's choice to have Biden as the commencement speaker. Ultimately, the vote in favor of giving Biden the honorary degree was 50 to 38.
The college had originally announced their plans to award Biden with the degree back in September 2023, before he had even accepted the invitation. However, it seems that they overlooked the necessary protocol of having the faculty vote to authorize this decision. In a statement, Morehouse clarified that the recent call for a faculty vote was not due to any political reasons, but rather because of an oversight in the process that typically includes a faculty vote in September.
However, even before the vote took place, some faculty members at the all-male college had expressed concerns about the decision. In a letter addressed to the school's leadership, a small group of faculty members cited their opposition to the degree based on Biden's stance on the war in Gaza. They acknowledged the honor of having the most powerful elected person in the world speak at Morehouse, but also pointed out that current policies of the United States government have caused suffering for millions of people around the world.
During a visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, President Biden himself referenced the number of Morehouse men serving on his team, stating, "I got more Morehouse men in my administration than Morehouse." This comment was shared on social media by Akayla Gardner, a student at Morehouse.
Cedric Richmond, co-chair of the Biden-Harris re-election campaign and Morehouse alumnus, also came to the defense of the president, saying that he has "earned" this recognition. He highlighted Biden's track record with the Black community, including appointing Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson as the first Black woman to the Supreme Court and achieving the lowest level of Black unemployment in history.
Some of the concerns raised by faculty were addressed in a recent meeting between Morehouse and a group of students, faculty, and Steven Benjamin, head of the White House Office of Public Engagement. With the situation in Gaza being a topic of concern, Benjamin was pressed to ensure that Biden's commencement address on May 19 would not turn into a campaign speech.
Biden will not be the only notable figure receiving honors at the graduation ceremony. According to Fox 47 News, alumni such as civil rights activist Martin Luther King III, Oscar-winning producer and director Spike Lee, and actor Brian Tyree Henry will be recognized for their notable anniversaries of graduating from Morehouse. King and Lee both graduated in 1979, while Henry received his degree in 1999.
Despite some initial opposition, it seems that Morehouse College has decided to move forward with awarding President Biden an honorary degree. The decision has caused some controversy, but the college is standing by their choice to recognize Biden's contributions and achievements within the Black community.
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