Breanna Reeves
With Election Day fast approaching on Nov.5, the Harris-Walz campaign kicked off a tour across dozens of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in swing states, including schools in Georgia, Florida and Virginia.
The HBCU Homecoming Tour started at Winston-Salem State University on Sept. 28 to mark the university’s 132nd Founders Day. The tours will feature “trusted surrogates” such as local Black elected leaders and HBCU alumni who will engage young voters throughout the tour.
This tour aims to engage young Black voters across battleground states. With an estimated 289,000 students enrolled across 99 HBCUs, the HBCU Homecoming Tour will travel to a fraction of these campuses including Morehouse and Spelman Colleges and Howard University, Harris’s alma mater, in October.
Vice President Kamala Harris is a graduate of Howard University, class of 1986, where she joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., the first historically African American sorority founded on Jan. 15, 1908. Homecoming season remains one of the most important celebratory seasons of events that allow HBCU alumni to return and network with one another and current students. Thousands of alumni, students and community members attend football games, participate in yard shows and witness renowned halftime events.
“Howard University helped shape everything I am today, and historically Black colleges and universities are preparing the next generation of leaders. Happy HBCU Week to students, faculty, and alumni across our nation!” Harris tweeted via X on Sept. 20.
According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, more than eight-in-ten (84%) Black registered voters said they would vote for Harris if the election were held today, while 13% say they would vote for former president Donald Trump.
Following the recent Presidential debate, Pew Research Center reported that 54% of voters under 50 said they are more likely to “vote for or lean toward” Harris than Trump (44%), while voters ages 50 and older support Trump over Harris (53% vs. 46%).
Prior to launching the homecoming tour, the Harris-Walz campaign were already engaging with HBCU students and Black voters as they celebrated National HBCU Week (Sept. 15-19), National Voter Registration Day (Sept. 17) and National Black Voter Day (Sept. 20), by organizing in-person and virtual canvassing events across 60 HBCU campuses.
As the homecoming tour continues, the tentative tour schedule during the weekend of Oct. 12, will stop at Lincoln University and Virginia State University, and then it’s on to Howard University, during the weekend of Oct. 19, and several more stops.
The Harris-Walz team has also been endorsed by more than 50 HBCU football legends, including Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductees. In their letter of endorsement, they penned, “Given her integrity, values, and demonstrated commitment to justice and equality of opportunity, we are confident that as President she will serve the best interests of all Americans.”