In declaring her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination, Vice President Kamala Harris could become the first graduate of a historically Black college or university to hold the nation's highest office.
Harris, a 1986 graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C., is entering the presidential race at a challenging time, with President Joe Biden dropping out and the Democratic National Convention less than a month away. However, the former California attorney general stated on Sunday that she intends to "earn and win this nomination," and has already secured endorsements from key Democrats.
HBCU students and faculty also recently expressed optimism about Harris' campaign.
"A black woman who is a product of an HBCU and who is also from the Bay Area. There are so many levels and parallels to how important it is to me," North Carolina A&T State University student Charles-Anthony Woodfork told WFMY News 2.
The Biden administration has boosted federal funding and investments in HBCUs in the past three years, totaling more than $16 billion.
"As a proud graduate of Howard University, I know firsthand that our HBCUs are centers of academic excellence. For generations, these anchors of our communities have played a pivotal role in building and contributing to America's leadership at home and abroad," Harris said in a statement in May.
Howard University did not respond to a request for comment.