Election night at Morehouse College brought excitement as students, faculty, and community members gathered in communion at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel for the 2024 Election Day Watch Party. Drawing together students from the entire Atlanta University Center (AUC)—including Morehouse, Spelman, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Morris Brown College—for an evening dedicated to civic engagement, insightful discussions, and the celebration of voting’s impact as they watched the presidential election results unfold.The evening began with a panel discussion featuring student leaders from the AUC. Each panelist shared unique perspectives on the significance of voting, ways to engage politically, misinformation about Harris, the Black community, and key policy differences that shaped this election. Dr. Keon N. Barry, the first Gen Z professor at Morehouse, served as the evening’s moderator. Reflecting on the magnitude of the gathering, Barry noted, “It was not easy. Over 300 people attended- this was a collective effort.” He acknowledged the support from sponsors like UNCF and The Cause International, as well as collaboration across the AUC, explaining that this shared commitment showcased “the power of voting, the power of conviction.” With the turnout tripling their expectation of 100 participants, Barry, who expressed his belief in the impact of the evening, adding, “I think this election really has instilled hope in our students that they have the agency to change the world.”Rollin “RJ” Jackson Jr., President of Morehouse’s Student Government Association and a graduating senior majoring in political science with a minor in international studies, played a significant role in organizing the event. Reflecting on his involvement, Jackson shared, “This is my first presidential election and now actually having a true play in everything that’s been going on for college students in Georgia with this election, I think that it’s kind of crazy to even sit back and watch and be like, you know, I was a part of history,” said Jackson.Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta VoiceAlso in attendance was Morehouse’s Tenth President, Dr. Robert M. Franklin, who shared a memorable story of unity and reflection from the 2008 presidential election, when students first celebrated the election of President Barack Obama. Recounting the spontaneous Crown Forum gathering that followed, Franklin noted how students took the stage one by one, sharing deeply personal reflections on what the historic election meant to them. He recalled, “Some of them talked about the extraordinary privilege to be alive when America’s first African American president was elected,” and how students connected with family members who “never expected this” in their lifetimes.One moment that stood out to Franklin was when a young man in 2008 declared, “If this young Black man can win the presidency of the United States, there’s no excuse for us—no excuse for small dreams.” This statement ignited what would later become Morehouse’s “No Excuses” campaign, where students took to the community, offering tutoring and other support to local youth. Reflecting on that transformative experience, Franklin encouraged students saying, “I believe we’re going to have another great victory, and I hope you’ll get another ‘No Excuses.’”CNN was the channel of choice for the evening’s viewing, with cheers and applause of Vice President Harris’ wins and utter silence for Trump’s wins. As the night drew to a close, Morehouse Student Government Association Chaplain Alonzo Brinson led the gathering in a prayer outside the chapel, grounding the energy of the evening in faith, unity, and resilience. “We thank you for building character in us, invoking both hope and strength, reminding everyone that, regardless of the election’s outcome, victory is still ours today in the AUC because we are still the change makers.” The post ‘We are still the change makers’: Morehouse holds Election Night watch party appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.