Kamala Harris Delivers Emotional Acceptance Speech at DNC

Making history as the nation’s first Black Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate for United States of America, Kamala Harris delivered an emotional speech on the closing night of the Democratic National Convention that touched on Blackness, Womanhood, and health.

Senator Kamala Harris has officially made history as the first Black Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate for United States of America.

In an emotional speech on Wednesday night, the senator reminded listeners that we are in the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment — which was aided by Black women, but served and benefited white women (like the feminist movement — traditionally).

“But they were undeterred,” Harris said of Black women — calling to reference such names as Mary Church Terrell, Fannie Lou Hammer, Shirley Chisolm, and Bethune Cookman.

There was another woman she referenced “whose name isn’t known” she said “and that’s my mother.”

Harris’ face lit up as she told the story of her Indian mother, Jamaican father and how the two met and fell in love in Oakland. She was born along with her sister and then her parents divorced.

She was raised primarily by her mother.

“She made it look easy, though it never was,” Harris said, speaking to the strength of single women.

The political strategists working with Harris and Biden did a good job with capitalizing off of her personal story — single motherhood, alluding to the possibility of an absentee father, and then excelling in spite of those things, would go over well with the Black community.

Strategists know these things. And whether or not they’re convenient, in politics, not using these elements of her narrative would be unwise — especially when trying to get the Black vote.

Speaking of the Black vote, Harris gave a shout out to the Divine 9, especially her sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha — which will go a long way in terms of polling and campaign efforts. The Divine 9 is a powerful organization as a whole — now that one of their own is an official candidate, they’re going to concentrate their efforts collectively to make sure she’s elected.

Harris brought up the pandemic but also called to attention the alarming rates to which Blacks and latinos are dying in comparison to whites.

“This virus has no eyes, and yet it knows exactly how we see each other and how we treat each other. And let’s be clear, there is no vaccine for racism. We have got to do the work, for George Floyd, for Breonna Taylor, for the lives of too many to name — for our children.”

She didn’t mention what that work entails.

When she accepted the nomination, she paid tribute once more to her mother.

“I do so, committed to the values she taught me. To the words she taught me to walk by faith and not by sight. To the vision of our nation as a beloved community where all are welcome.”

Watch her full speech below: