President Biden Remarks at 2024 National HBCU Week Conference

September 16, 2024

• Unidentified Speaker: IN PHILADELPHIA, PRESIDENT BIDEN CONDEMNED THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP. HE ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HISTORICALLY LACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND THEIR ROLE IN PREPARING BLACK STUDENTS FOR CAREERS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
• PRES. BIDEN: THANK YOU, THANK YOU. PLEASE, HAVE A SEAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NOW LOOK, I LOVE KAMALA. THANK YOU, ALL. I WAS A 29-YEAR-OLD KID WHEN THEY EMBRACED ME LIKE YOU CAN'T IMAGINE AND WE WON BECAUSE OF A N -- AN HBCU CALLED DELAWARE STATE. A YOUNG MAN FROM DELAWARE STATE CALLED TONY ALLEN WENT TO WORK AND CONTINUED TO EXTEND HIS DEGREE. HE GOT HIS DOCTORATE AND LEFT TO BECOME PRESIDENT HIMSELF. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE HELL THAT HAPPENED SO QUICK. TONY, THANK YOU. I HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED COUNTLESS TIMES, BUT NEVER QUITE LIKE THAT. I MEAN IT FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. I AM DEEPLY MOVED. BY GOD'S GRACE, WE WERE TRUE FRIENDS. DELAWARE STATE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOR REAL. TO THE PRESIDENTS AND ADMINISTRATORS OF OUR 101 HISTORIC BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, IT'S AN HONOR TO CELEBRATE AND I MEAN CELEBRATE HBCU WEEK WITH YOU. [APPLAUSE] BEFORE I BEGIN, I WANT TO MAKE A QUICK REFERENCE. THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION AGAINST OUR FORMER PRESIDENT IN FLORIDA YESTERDAY. I COMMEND THE SECRET SERVICE FOR THEIR EXPERT HANDLING OF THE SITUATION. THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS PROTECTED FROM HARM. AND THE SUBJECT IS IN CUSTODY. ACTING HEAD OF THE SECRET SERVICE IN FLORIDA TODAY IS ASSESSING WHAT HAPPENED AND DETERMINING WHETHER ANY FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS NEED TO BE MADE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR FORMER PRESIDENT. LET ME JUST SAY, THERE IS NO -- I MEAN THIS FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART -- NO PLACE FOR POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN AMERICA, NONE, ZERO, NEVER. I'VE 2LWAYS 2ONDEMNED POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND ALWAYS WILL IN AMERICA. IN AMERICA WE RESOLVE OUR DIFFERENCES PEACEFULLY, AT THE BALLOT BOX, NOT AT THE END OF A GUN. AMERICA SUFFERED TOO MANY TIMES THE TRAGEDY OF AN ASSASSIN'S BULLET. IT SOLVES NOTHING AND JUST TEARS THE COUNTRY APART. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT IT AND NEVER GIVE IT ANY OXYGEN. FOLKS, NOW TO TODAY'S EVENT. IT'S AN HONOR TO RECOGNIZE HBCU EXCELLENCE IN OUR NATION. I SEE EXCELLENCE IN IT EVERY DAY. THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS FOUNDATION, I TELL YOU WHAT, THE FOUNDATION GALA, ONLY ABOUT 3,500 PEOPLE THERE. I WAS HAPPY AND I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO DO THIS, CELEBRATE THE FIRST EVER WHITE HOUSE BRUNCH TO CELEBRATE BLACK EXCELLENCE, BLACK EXCELLENCE. WHICH MANY OF YOU AND YOUR ALUMNI ATTENDED, POINT OUT WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE. I AM PROUD TO HAVE THE MOST DIVERSE ADMINISTRATION IN HISTORY THAT TAPS INTO THE FULL -- I MEAN IT. I MADE A COMMITMENT, MY ADMINISTRATION WOULD LOOK LIKE AMERICA. TAPS INTO THE FULL TALENTS OF OUR NATION INCLUDING GRADUATES OF HBCU'S LIKE OUR AMAZING VICE PRESIDENT. FOLKS, TOGETHER KAMALA AND I KNOW THAT AN EDUCATION MAKES A PERSON FREE. HBCU EDUCATION MAKES YOU FEARLESS AS WELL. IT MATTERS. I MEAN IT. MORE THAN 180 YEARS UNDER THE SHADOW OF SLAVERY AND JIM CROW, HBCU'S INSTILLED A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND FREEDOM, A COMMITMENT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR ALL THEIR STUDENTS, TO LIFT UP NOT JUST YOURSELVES BUT OTHERS ALONG THE WAY. INSTITUTION GROUNDED IN THE BELIEF THAT EVERY AMERICAN OF EVERY RACE AND EVERY BACKGROUND, EVERY ZIP CODE AND YOU KNOW ME, I MEAN IT, SHOULD HAVE A FAIR AND EQUAL CHANCE TO GO AS FAR AS THEIR GOD GIVEN TALENT CAN TAKE THEM. THAT'S WHO WE ARE. THAT'S WHAT WE STAND FOR. AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, WE HAVE REACHED AN INFLECTION POINT IN HISTORY. IT COMES ALONG EVERY SIX OR SEVEN GENERATIONS. ONE OF THOSE RARE MOMENTS IN OUR HISTORY, WHEN THE DECISIONS WE MAKE RIGHT NOW ARE GOING TO DETERMINE THE FATE OF OUR NATION AND THE WORLD FOR THE NEXT DECADE, FOR SIX DECADES TO COME AND I MEAN IT. I WASN'T GOING TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT AFTER MY SON DIED COMING BACK FROM IRAQ. I DECIDED THAT I WAS GOING TO WRITE ANOTHER BOOK. I WAS GOING TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THE INFLECTION POINTS OF WORLD HISTORY, GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO DEALING WITH THE PRINTING PRESS AND HOW IT CHANGED EVERYTHING. BUT LOOK, WE ARE STILL IN A BATTLE. WE ARE STILL IN A BATTLE FOR THE VERY SOUL OF AMERICA. IN 2020, I RAN AND I GIVE YOU MY WORD THIS WAS THE REASON. I RAN TO REDEEM THE SOUL OF AMERICA, RESTORE DIGNITY TO THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY. I RAN TO REBUILD THE BACKBONE OF THE MIDDLE CLASS, TO UNITE THE COUNTRY, TO REMIND OURSELVES WE CAN DO ANYTHING WE WANT TO WHEN WE DO IT TOGETHER. FOUR YEARS LATER WE MADE INCREDIBLE PROGRESS BECAUSE KAMALA AND I KEPT OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU TO ENSURE THAT ALL OUR STUDENTS AND ALL OF OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO SUCCEED. THAT'S WHY I SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER RE-ESTABLISHING WHITE HOUSE INITIATIVE HBCU'S AFTER OUR PREDECESSOR ALLOWED IT TO LAPSE. THANK YOU, DR. TRENT FOR LEADING IT. I CAN'T SEE YOU OUT THERE BUT I AM SURE YOU ARE THERE. THANK YOU, TONY AND DR. GLOVER FOR LEADING MY PRESIDENTIAL BOARD ON HBCU'S. AND I AM PROUD TO LEAD THE FIRST ADMINISTRATION IN HISTORY TO HAVE A WORKING GROUP FROM THE DIVINE NINE IN THE WHITE HOUSE. I GOT IT, MAN. I MEAN I AIN'T STUPID. -- I'M A WHITE BOY, BUT I AIN'T STUPID. [LAUGHTER] I FIGURED IT OUT REAL QUICK. BY THE WAY, AS AN OFFICIAL GROUP IN THE WHITE HOUSE, TOGETHER WE GOT TO WORK RIGHT AWAY WITH OUR SIGNATURE INVESTMENT, ADDRESSING ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES FOR HBCU'S. WE ALL KNOW -- I MEAN THIS SINCERELY -- THAT HBCU STUDENTS ARE JUST AS CAPABLE AS ANY OTHER STUDENTS. BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE ENDOWMENTS LIKE MANY OTHER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THAT ARE ABLE TO IMPROVE RESEARCH LABS, CAMPUS INFRASTRUCTURE AND SO MUCH MORE. THAT'S WHY I AM PROUD TO BE DELIVERING ON A RECORD $17 BILLION. $17 BILLION TO HBCU'S. THE MOST EVER ANY ADMINISTRATION HAS EVER, EVER, EVER COMMITTED. THERE WE WERE. WE HAVE ALREADY DISTRIBUTED WELL OVER $1 BILLION. FOLKS, LOOK, I WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING CLEAR. IF YOU NOTICE, THE SPENDING WE HAVE DONE HAS NOT FUNDAMENTALLY INCREASED THE DEFICIT LIKE THE OTHER GUY DID. NO, NO, SERIOUSLY. IT GROWS THE ECONOMY. THE MORE EDUCATED -- HOW CAN WE LEAD THE WORLD WITHOUT BEING THE MOST EDUCATED NATION IN THE WORLD? HOW CAN WE LEAD THE WORLD WITHOUT REACHING OUT TO YOUNG PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY TO IMPROVE THEIR CAPACITY? YOU KNOW, THIS HELPS EVERYTHING FROM PROVIDING FINANCIAL AID, PELL GRANTS TO BUILDING NEW HOUSING TO RESEARCH LABS, TO PREPARE BLACK STUDENTS FOR JOBS IN INDUSTRIES OF THE FUTURE AND IN HIGH DEMAND FIELDS LIKE BIOCHEMISTRY AND SO MUCH MORE. THAT'S NOT ALL. TOGETHER WE SPEARHEADED ONE OF THE MOST EQUITABLE ECONOMIC RECOVERIES IN HISTORY. HOW CAN WE BE THE STRONGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD WITHOUT THE BEST EDUCATION SYSTEM, WITHOUT CATCHING THE TALENTS OF EVERY STUDENT? IN FACT MY ADVISOR REPORT THIS SPRING ON THE POWER OF HBCU'S. HERE IS WHAT THEY FOUND. THEY FOUND HBCU'S ARE ENGINES OF ECONOMIC MOBILITY IN OUR COUNTRY, RAISING STANDARD OF LIVING FOR EVERYBODY FOR REAL. DESPITE BEING ONLY 3% OF COLLEGES IN AMERICA, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR 40% OF BLACK ENGINEERS. 50% OF ALL BLACK TEACHERS, 70% OF ALL DOCTORS AND DENTISTS AND 80% OF ALL BLACK JUDGES. I AM INCREASING THAT NUMBER TOO. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL. MY CHIPS IN SCIENCE ACT WHICH I WAS COMMITTED TO FINALLY GOT IT DONE, CREATED MORE HUBS AND INNOVATION, CREATE PATHWAYS AND -- PATHWAYS TO DEVELOP MORE RESEARCHERS GROW A DIVERSE , SEMICONDUCTOR WORK FORCE HERE AT HOME. FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS IN NEW YORK WHERE I ANNOUNCED THE INVESTMENT WITH MICRON THAT PARTNERED WITH NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY. TO BUILD A 6,000 SQUARE FOOT HIGH-TECH FACILITY FOR STUDENTS AND RESEARCHERS. MY NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AWARDED $2 MILLION TO CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY. FURTHER WORK IN THE CHIPS NETWORK, SEMICONDUCTOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND A WORKFORCE CAPACITY AT HBCU'S. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO LAST WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF $10.5 MILLION FROM NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANTS TO FACILITATE STEM RESEARCH AT MORE THAN A DOZEN HBCU'S INCLUDING CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY, PROJECT TO BUILD A SEMICONDUCTOR CAPACITY. I AM ALSO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT FOUR HBCU'S, VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY, RUSS COLLEGE, SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY AND SHAW UNIVERSITY ARE RECEIVING AN ADDITIONAL CRITICAL FUNDING TO BOOST THEIR STEM PROGRAMS, PREPARE THEIR STUDENTS FOR INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES. MOVING FORWARD, I AM ENCOURAGED -- I HAVE ENCOURAGED SEMICONDUCTOR COMPANIES COMPANIES TO CREATE AND EXPAND PARTNERSHIPS WITH HBCU'S AS THEY INVEST IN AMERICAN MANUFACTURING. VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AND THE NATIONAL SPACE COUNCIL SHE LEADS ARE ENSURING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS COLLABORATE ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPACE RELATED TECHNOLOGY, THE FUTURE. FOLKS, MY OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY IS DEVELOPING, SHARING THE BEST APPROACHES ACROSS THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT HOW TO EXPAND STEM RESEARCH AND INVESTMENTS IN HBCU'S. IN ADDITION, MY ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES TO DIVERSIFY THE FEDERAL WORK FORCE STARTING BY OPENING DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY LIKE THE HBCU SCHOLAR PROGRAM THAT IS CELEBRATING ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE 2024 COHORTS OF SCHOLARS THE LARGEST , COHORT. ALL OF THEM, I WANT YOU TO STAND UP, IF YOU ARE HERE. [APPLAUSE] IF I AM STILL AROUND WHEN YOU ARE PRESIDENT, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T SAY "JOE WHO," OK? [LAUGHTER] WE ALSO KNOW, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN BLACK STUDENTS WHO HAVE BLACK TEACHERS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND WHAT WE HAVE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME, THAT'S WHY MY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS PROVIDED $450 MILLION TO ENSURE THAT TEACHERS IN OUR SCHOOLS REFLECT DIVERSITY. [APPLAUSE] THE SMALL THINGS MATTER A LOT. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS FUNDING FOR A PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF TEACHERS THAT HBCU'S. WE ARE THE FIRST ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM, $40 MILLION TODAY, AND -- TO DATE AND TODAY, I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE FOR MORE HBCU'S, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, MOREHOUSE COLLEGE -- I'M SO TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT MOREHOUSE. [LAUGHTER] I DID THE COMMENCEMENT AT MOREHOUSE! SOMEONE CAME UP TO ME AND SAID "MR. PRESIDENT, YOU ARE NOT A , MOREHOUSE MAN." THAT WAS DURING THE COMMENCEMENT. NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY, AND PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY. THEY ARE BEING AWARDED NEW GRANTS TO INCREASE TEACHER DIVERSITY. WE KNOW THAT THE TICKET TO THE MIDDLE CLASS, THAT TICKET IS BECOMING TOO EXPENSIVE. THAT'S WHY WE'VE INCREASED THE MAXIMUM PELL GRANT BY $900 A YEAR. THE LARGEST INCREASE IN A DECADE. IT MATTERS. THESE HBCU'S HAVE TWICE THE PERCENTAGE OF PELL GRANT STUDENTS AS NON-HBCU'S. ALSO, RELIEVED THE DEBT OF 5 MILLION AMERICANS, INCLUDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BLACK BORROWERS. THAT MEANS YOU CAN BUY A BUSINESS BUY HOMES, SAVE FOR , YOUR CHILDREN'S SCHOOLS, GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, AND IT GROWS THE ECONOMY FOR EVERYBODY. IT GROWS THE ECONOMY! THERE'S SO MUCH MORE WE CAN DO TO HELP MORE HBCU STUDENTS WALK INTO A LIFE OF GENERATIONAL WEALTH TO BE PROVIDERS FOR THEIR FAMILIES LEADERS OF A COMMUNITY, , DREAMERS AND DOERS OF THE NATION. IN FACT, IN JUST FOUR YEARS, MORE HBCU LEADERS ARE MAKING A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN BLACK AMERICA THAN EVER IN AMERICAN HISTORY. [APPLAUSE] BUT LOOK, WE HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT THE FORCES WE FACE. WE GATHER TOGETHER IN A YEAR WHEN WE COMMEMORATE TWO OF OUR NATION'S MOST HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENTS, THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION, THE SEGREGATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THAT LAID THE GROUNDWORK OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, AND THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY. INSTRUMENTAL TO BOTH ACHIEVEMENTS WAS THURGOOD MARSHALL, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, HOWARD LAW SCHOOL. LINCOLN IS CLOSER TO WILMINGTON, BY THE WAY. I'VE BEEN THERE MANY TIMES. AND GENERATIONS OF HBCU EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS CAME BEFORE. IT OPENS THE DOORS OF HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY, FOR GENERATIONS OF BLACK AMERICANS AND FOR THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. IT REALLY DOES. BUT TODAY, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND THE VALUES OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION ARE UNDER ATTACK. "BOOKS SHOULD BE BANNED." HBCU'S HAD RECEIVED BOMB THREATS AND RIGHT NOW, LIES AND HATE ARE BEING SPREAD ABOUT HAITIAN AMERICANS IN OHIO. IT IS WRONG, IT IS SIMPLY WRONG, AND IT MUST STOP. THERE ARE THOSE WHO WANT A COUNTRY FOR SOME OF US BUT NOT FOR ALL OF US. AND I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THE PROMISE OF AMERICA, AND I MEAN THIS SINCERELY, IS BIG ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE TO SUCCEED. EVERYONE. [APPLAUSE] AND THERE'S BEEN NO MORE IMPORTANT INVOICE OF THAT TRUTH THAN THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND OUR HBCU'S. THAT'S WHAT I SEE IN YOUR STUDENTS, FUTURE DOCTORS, RESEARCHERS, CURING CANCER, ARTISTS SHAPING OUR CULTURE, FEARLESS JOURNALISTS AND INTELLECTUALS CHALLENGING CONVENTION, PREACHERS AND ADVOCATES THAT INSPIRE US ALL. YOU'VE PROVED THAT BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY. IT IS AMERICAN HISTORY. [APPLAUSE] AND BLACK EXCELLENCE IS AMERICAN EXCELLENCE! [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, IF I SHOW UP ON YOUR CAMPUS, YOU HAD BETTER BE NICE TO ME. [LAUGHTER] LOOK, LET ME CLOSE WITH THIS. MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE, THE HIGHEST-RANKING BLACK WOMAN OF FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION, A PROUD ACTIVIST, SHE FOUNDED HBCU BETHUNE UNIVERSITY. SHE SAID, "THE FREEDOM GATES ARE HALF-AJAR. WE MUST PRY THEM FULLY OPEN." THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO. PRY THEM FULLY OPEN. FOR OVER 180 YEARS, HBCU'S HAVE BEEN PRYING THEM OPEN. FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, KAMALA AND I WITH THE HELP OF ALL OF YOU GREAT LEADERS, SINCE I , SERVED IN THE CONGRESS AND SENATE, OR PUSHING ALONG SIDE TO -- ALONGSIDE YOU. AND GOD WILLING, AS HBCU GRADUATES, THE FUTURE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WILL SOON BE SITTING AT THE RESOLUTE DESK, PUSHING THE GATES OF FREEDOM OPEN ONCE AND FOR ALL. [APPLAUSE] FOLKS, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE, WE JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER WHO THE HELL WE ARE. I MEAN IT. WE ARE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THERE IS NOTHING BEYOND OUR CAPACITY IF WE ACT TOGETHER, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING! [APPLAUSE] WE ARE THE ONLY NATION IN HISTORY THAT COMES OUT OF A CRISIS STRONGER THAN WHEN WE WENT IN, THAT'S BECAUSE OF YOU, BECAUSE OF ALL OF US, WE ARE A DIVERSE NATION. THEREIN LIES OUR STRENGTH, WHEN WE UNITE. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL, AND MAY GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] [CAPTIONS COPYRIGHT NATIONAL CABLE SATELLITE CORP. 2024] [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY. VISIT NCICAP.ORG]
• PRES. BIDEN: THANK YOU, THANK YOU. EVERY TIME I WOULD WALK OUT OF MY GRANDFATHER'S HOUSE IN PENNSYLVANIA HE WOULD SAY, JOEY, KEEP THE FAITH. AND MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD SAY, NO JOEY, SPREAD IT.