The first night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago featured a number of the most prominent members of the party, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Hillary Clinton, with a surprise appearance by presidential nominee Kamala Harris and a keynote address by President Joe Biden as he passed the torch to his vice president. Throughout the night, the party’s Black representation was in full display. Here are a few of the highlights.
Jasmine Crockett gets political and personal
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett spent the first part of her speech contrasting Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, painting Harris as someone who worked her way up and became a career prosecutor in contrast to Trump’s privileged background and criminal convictions.
BREAKING: Jasmine Crockett just demolished Donald Trump for being born with a spoon in a mouth and still being a criminal fraudster. Donald Trump is exactly who shouldn’t be representing hardworking Americans. Retweet so all Americans see this.pic.twitter.com/vneKNAup0N
— Kamala’s Wins (@harris_wins) August 20, 2024
Later in the speech, Crockett got personal, discussing how Harris comforted and encouraged her during their first meeting shortly after Crockett came to Washington as a congresswoman. “The most powerful woman in the world wiped my tears and listened,” Crockett recounted, adding that Harris reassured her that “you are exactly where God wants you.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett tells the story about her first interaction with VP Harris: "She then said among other things, 'you are exactly where God wants you'…That brief but impactful interaction gave me my legislative legs and I've been running ever since
— MC (@musicitydp) August 20, 2024
Maxine Waters evokes Fannie Lou Hamer
California Rep. Maxine Waters used her speech to honor Fannie Lou Hamer, who sought to seat a Black delegation from Mississippi at the 1964 Democratic National Convention.
In her DNC speech Monday night, Rep. Maxine Waters honored Fannie Lou Hamer, a trailblazing civil rights champion from Mississippi. pic.twitter.com/gxFW0Prskn
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) August 19, 2024
Waters drew the connection to Harris, declaring that “when the dust settles in November and Americans of all stripes have elected her as their president,” Harris will be thinking of Hamer.
Iconic Maxine Waters is rocking it pic.twitter.com/9oTUu60XH1
— Reda (@RedaMor_) August 19, 2024
Warnock’s speech and Jesse Jackson’s appearance get standing ovations
Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock gave a rousing speech that seemed reminiscent of a sermon he might give at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he remains senior pastor and where Martin Luther King Jr. once presided. At the end of his remarks, as he talked about situations in Atlanta, Gaza and Haiti, Warnock’s declaration that “I need my neighbor’s children to be OK” brought many in the crowd to their feet.
WOW—I need all the children to be okay. The poor children of inner city Atlanta, the poor children of Appalachia, the children of Israel, the children of Gaza, children of Congo, children of Haiti, the children of Ukraine, we need all children to be okay… pic.twitter.com/jOpe7GVfLc
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) August 20, 2024
Speaking of King, one of the most moving parts of the night was a tribute to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights icon and MLK associate whose history-making presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 paved the way for later success by Barack Obama and Kamala Harris. After a video tribute, Jackson appeared onstage to wave to the crowd, joined by Rev. Al Sharpton as well as Jackson’s sons, Yusef Jackson and Rep. Jonathan Jackson.
ICYMI: REV. SHARPTON JOINS MOVING TRIBUTE TO REV. JESSE JACKSON AT DAY ONE OF 2024 DNC IN CHICAGO
Rev. Sharpton joins Congressman Jonathan Jackson, Yusef Jackson on DNC stage to honor the life’s work of Rev. Jesse Jackson pic.twitter.com/LbcionUKKU— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) August 20, 2024
These were just some of the many Black Democrats who appeared last night, with Rep. James Clyburn, Sen. Laphonza Butler and Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison also making appearances. As Harris seeks to become the first Black woman and first Asian American president, she and the Democratic Party will likely continue to draw upon the strength of Black people and other people of color within the party.
