The Howard University Marching Band escorts Kamala Harris to the parade
The inaugural 2021 parade included a nod to the alma mater of newly sworn-in Vice President Kamala Harris, Howard University in Washington, DC
The historically black university’s Showtime Marching Band escorted Harris to the White House on Wednesday for his first entry as the 49th Vice President of the United States
It was a special moment on many levels.
The performance marked the first time the students had been together since before the pandemic, the school said. And many felt the weight of this historic day, with Harris, who graduated from Howard University in 1986, being the country’s first black woman vice president. She is also the first to graduate from a historically black college or university, or HBCU.
“It’s euphoric to be involved,” said Courtney Gilliam, co-captain of the flag team, in a press release the school shared earlier this week.
Of course, this inaugural parade was unlike any before. Without the crowd of spectators it was significantly quieter, and instead of walking down Pennsylvania Avenue, Harris and President Joe Biden were given a military escort to the White House.
Howard’s marching band did cheer up, however. The group included a drummer line, a flag squad and dancers. But that wasn’t the whole group: Due to COVID-19 precautions, less than a third of students attended in person, the school said.
And although they’ve been apart for so long, they haven’t missed a beat.
Neither does Harris: when a student shouted “HU! To her, she even replied, “You know,” – a popular song among Howard’s students – according to Yolanda Pierce, who wrote about the moment on Twitter.
Harris expressed his support for the HBCUs and on Wednesday students at these schools across the country applauded their new vice president.
Howard University President Wayne AI Frederick found the performance suitable for Harris. “It is this constant impetus from her alma mater’s legacy that has propelled her forward, and it is this same pace that will move her forward as she will undoubtedly become one of the most senior vice presidents. most influential in our nation’s history, â€he said in the press release.