by Donnell Suggs
First published: September 13, 2024
The White House hosted the first-ever Celebration of Black Excellence brunch on the South Lawn on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. Photo by Donnell Suggs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The St. Augustine Gospel Choir was dressed in black robes with green and red stripes down the right side. Established in 1977, the world-renowned choir didn’t have to make too long of a trip to the White House balcony overlooking the South Lawn. St. Augustine Catholic Church is located on V Street, NW, just a couple miles away from the White House.
The first-ever Celebration of Black Excellence brought hundreds of Black leaders of many different industries to the White House on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The White House was the scene for a Celebration of Black Excellence Brunch, which took place on Friday, Sept. 13, and brought actors, actresses, authors, television personalities, journalists, writers, activists, and artists to the South Lawn. Friday was the first time a celebration of this order exclusively to celebrate the greatness of Black Americans took place on White House grounds. This wasn’t Black History Month or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, or even Juneteenth, it is a moment of history in the making, according to United States President Joseph R. Biden.
“The Black community has always had my back and I have always had theirs,” said Biden, who was dressed in his signature navy blue suit and aviator shades. Chants of “Thank you, Joe” filled the air as Biden thanked the large crowd for coming to the brunch and for contributing to America’s greatness. During his 15-minute speech, Biden made sure to let everyone know that this current administration that he shares with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for the presidency, is the most diverse in the country’s history.
Biden was joined by Shalanda Young, the Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget. Young is the first Black woman to hold her position. Under the Biden-Harris administration Black excellence isn’t new as the first Black female Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black Vice President, and the first Black female queer White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre were able to break down walls to their respective offices of national power and prominence. Biden was sure to mention that he was also the Vice President under the first Black man to hold the office of the presidency, Barack Obama.
“Today we are here to honor this truth that Black history is American history and Black excellence is American excellence,” said Biden.
Jean-Pierre, a Haitian-American, spoke moments before Biden appeared and stated that there were “Hundreds of Black leaders on the South Lawn of the White House who exemplify Black excellence,” and that was because of the Biden-Harris administration’s support of Black Americans at the White House and beyond.
Young added that she hopes her three-year-old daughter Charlie has fond memories of walking around the White House where her mother works.
“I’m incredibly proud to work for President Biden and Vice President Harris, who have worked hard to fight for families,” said Young, who shared a story of Biden telling her it’s OK to go home during an important meeting in order to pick Charlie up from daycare.
Guests to the brunch included inspirational speaker Iyanla Vanzant, actor Anthony Anderson, rapper David Banner, actresses Marsai Martin and Kyla Pratt, journalist April D. Ryan, and Black politicians and civic leaders from across the country, including Jonesboro (Ga.) Mayor Dr. Donya L. Sartor, Georgia Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock, and Rep. Gregory Meeks (N.Y.), and Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives Hakeem Jeffries, to name a few.
“Well, representation matters, it impacts policy,” said Warnock. “We see this played out in this administration in terms of policy. “I certainly like what this administration and its agenda represents for 2025 versus Project 2025. That is a contrast we have to keep in mind as we go into this election.”
Warnock pointed out that under the Biden-Harris administration Black unemployment is down, investments in Black-owned businesses are up, Black household wealth is up even when you allow for inflation, and there has been a record set for investment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
“This is the work that we continue to do and we can ill afford to have someone take us back. We have to move forward,” Warnock said.
Long-time White House correspondent April D. Rayn. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Meeks also believes representation matters and added, “Representation is not everything, it’s the only thing,” he said. “Trying to move forward without the appropriate representation, you can’t gain or get anything. When you’re talking about health, cost and representation matters. If you talk about affordable housing, representation matters. If you’re talking about reducing or getting relief from student loans, representation matters. Individuals have to have someone who represents them in the hall of government so that you can negotiate and create opportunities that better the lives of individuals that we represent.”
Having covered the White House for decades, Ryan said she knows how much representation matters inside the gates at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
City of Jonesboro (Ga.) Mayor Dr. Donya L. Sartor. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
“It’s important that everyone matters. It is important in this moment when there is a presidential candidate that clearly deals with race on a whole other level that they see Black people who are not eating dogs and cats,” said Ryan. “It’s important that they see Black people who rise above. It’s important that America sees that we are not the picture that they want to paint. This is that moment.”
Looking around at all of the Black people in all-white outfits mingling, laughing, and talking, Sartor, the first Black Mayor of Jonesboro, said, “For some people, there is a conditioning process. They are not used to seeing us in positions like this. Representation matters and President Biden and Vice President Harris are creating a norm.
