WASHINGTON — As midnight approached Tuesday night at Howard University, where a mass of Kamala Harris supporters gathered to await results of the presidential election, lingering anxiousness gave way to exhilaration. And then concern.
It was that way all night on “The Yard” at the historically Black college, which Harris graduated from in 1986. Moments of celebration were doused by projections that favored her rival, Republican Donald Trump.
By the time Tuesday night crept into Wednesday morning, the concern of the unknown prevailed.
“I wanted this to be a coronation tonight,” said Ben Eddins, a Howard alumnus. “She deserves it. But we have to wait and see. Whatever the results, this moment is special, and Kamala Harris is special.”
Around 12:45 a.m. on Wednesday, campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond told the crowd that Harris would not address supporters.
“We still have votes to count. We still have states that have not been called,” Richmond said. “You will hear from her tomorrow.”
Hours before projections began to roll in, Tiara Martin, 18, said she understood the excitement that Black Americans, especially, felt after Barack Obama was elected the first Black president of the United States.
“I heard Black people were so excited and emotional,” said Martin, a freshman. “That’s how I am now. The campus feels like a ball of energy that’s ready to explode.”
Harris had returned to campus multiple times, including as the commencement speaker in 2017. She also announced in 2019 that she was running for president at Howard, a place she has called “home.”
But those occasions were nothing like Tuesday night as the general feelings of the festivities on campus morphed over several hours.
The Howard University Gospel Choir performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “Oh, Happy Day” for a worship element early in the night. There was a college homecoming feel with members of the Divine Nine, the network of Black fraternities and sororities, stepping and strolling to upbeat music. There was the university’s Bison band thumping.
University President Wayne A.I. Frederick added a historical element in a short speech. “You’re standing on sacred, hallowed ground that has been witness to history,” he told the packed crowd full mostly of students. “You stand on grass sown by our ancestors, flanked by buildings whose bricks have witnessed ex-slaves become scholars. … For tonight, our Yard is open in unity for all people, all races, creeds, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds.”
And there definitely was a party element to the occasion, with guests moving to the sounds of the DJ, performing line dances with pure joy. “I feel all of this,” said Yolanda Robinson, a 1992 Howard graduate who traveled from Philadelphia. “This is so us: coming together as a family to celebrate each other while we support our sister who has represented us all so well. It’s joyous.”
But the music and the partying stopped as the results began to come in, with Trump assuming a large lead by winning all the traditional Republican states, according to NBC News projections. Harris kept pace in that she did not lose any blue or Democratic states, according to the projections. But her path to history began to shrink as Trump’s numbers piled up, particularly in swing states like North Carolina and Georgia, which NBC News projected he won.
It was then when the partying stopped and concern took over. Any update that had Trump leading inspired vigorous boos. A Harris lead resulted in loud screams, as one would hear at a sporting event.
It was that way much of the late night — the excitement and hope interrupted by the specter of a Trump win.
Still, Jabari Robinson, 20, a junior, said he was consumed by the moment, despite being concerned about what the final results would be.
“I’m just amazed,” Robinson said. “I’m honored to be a student at Howard University at this time. We all talk about how amazing it is to see an alumna in this historical position. It shows you that anything is possible if you work hard. Kamala Harris is a powerful affirmation of that cliché. I feel all the energy and hope in the air. I am inspired.”
Renae Martin, a 1976 Howard graduate, said he had a revelatory moment as the results rolled in.
“When you really think about it, Kamala Harris has already won,” she said. “Look at all this pomp and circumstance for a Black woman on the campus of a Black college. The whole world is watching. This doesn’t happen every day. It never happens. That just hit me. She’s already won.”
Harris certainly galvanized a community. “This is like homecoming but different because it’s not just about fun,” said Sandra Fields, a Howard graduate. “This feels like homecoming with a purpose. We’re partying and laughing and hugging each other. But we’re also praying for something that’s bigger than all of us.”
