Harris to Hold Election Night Event at Her Alma Mater, Howard University

The Harris-Walz campaign confirmed on Oct. 31 that Vice President Kamala Harris will hold her election night watch party event at Howard University in Washington, D.C., a historically black college (HBCU) that was her alma mater and influenced her decision to become a lawyer.

The college is where Harris launched her 2019 presidential campaign, where she first ran as her freshman class representative, and where she joined her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

She graduated from the school in 1986 after studying political science and economics.

Harris also worked on debate prep at the college in August.

“I recognize that Howard shaped me into the person I am today,” she wrote.

Related Stories

10/31/2024

10/29/2024

Harris is the first HBCU alum to become vice president and would be the first graduate to be commander-in-chief if she wins the 2024 election.

Meanwhile, former president Donald Trump is hosting his election night watch party at a convention center in West Palm Beach, Florida, according to his campaign.

Harris has also made efforts to appeal to black voters, as recent polls have indicated that Trump has made gains on the voting block since 2020. A poll from The New York Times/Siena College indicated that Harris has the support of 78 percent of likely black voters, with Trump at 15 percent. President Joe Biden won black voters by 92 percent four years ago.

Harris has also struggled with garnering more support among black men in particular, with a survey from the University of Chicago’s GenForward showing that 26 percent of black men ages 18–40 said they would vote for Trump. Roughly 12 percent of black women also said they would vote for the former president.

Due to delays in counting mail-in ballots in some key states, a winner may not be called on election night, which is what happened in 2020. The Harris campaign did not say if the vice president would remain at Howard in the days following election night.