Biden team consulted prominent Morehouse alumni to craft commencement speech that’s expected to praise student voices

After weeks of consultation with prominent Black public figures, President Joe Biden is preparing to deliver a commencement speech at Morehouse College that highlights triumph over adversity and the lasting impact of peaceful protest, according to people involved in the preparations.

After weeks of consultation with prominent Black public figures, President Joe Biden is preparing to deliver a commencement speech at Morehouse College that highlights triumph over adversity and the lasting impact of peaceful protest, according to people involved in the preparations. The content of the speech has been the subject of careful consideration, with an event intended to celebrate the next generation of young Black leaders becoming mired in controversy over some campus discontent with the president’s handling of the conflict in Gaza. Dr. Tony Allen, president of Delaware State University and a longtime friend of Biden’s, counseled the president on praising the bravery of young people speaking out against injustice. “The voices of students have grown even more clear, particularly in the last few years,” Allen told CNN in an interview, pointing to the protests following George Floyd’s murder and the Black Lives Matter movement. “As opposed to striking a delicate balance, I think he will hit that head on.” But the discussion behind the scenes has been delicate – with White House officials traveling to Morehouse’s Atlanta campus to hold forth with students and faculty and attempt to quell their concerns. During one meeting in early May, roughly half of the two-hour conversation focused on the conflict in Gaza, one source said, with the rest touching on other issues of concern for students. Among those issues, according to people familiar with the discussions, was student worry that their achievements would be overshadowed by a stump speech. They have expressed frustration that the format of the event and the level of security required for such a high-profile visit resulted in limited tickets for family members, many of whom would be required to watch from an overflow room.