To continue reading
Create a free account or sign in to unlock more free articles.
By continuing, you agree to the Terms of Service and acknowledge our Privacy Policy
Register
The content is free, but you must be subscribed to Okayplayer to continue reading.
THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING
Join our newsletter family to stay tapped into the latest in Hip Hop culture!
Login
To continue reading login to your account.
Forgot your password?
Please enter the email address you use for your account so we can send you a link to reset your password:
President Joe Biden, center, and Vice President Kamala Harris, second from left, appear with their families after Biden addressed the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., on Monday, August 19, 2024.
Okayplayer delivers a rundown of what went down at day one of the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
Monday served as the first day of the Democratic National Convention, with most notable moments occurring during the evening and well into the night.
Didn’t get the chance to watch? Well, here’s a brief roundup of things that went down yesterday.
Walking out onto the DNC stage to Beyoncé’s “Freedom” — an absolute power move — Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris made an appearance despite not being on the official agenda.
Scheduled to give a speech on Thursday, the last day of the DNC, Harris kept her remarks short last night, ending her message to attendees and viewers with, “when we fight, we win!”
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez having a prime-time speech at the DNC is a big deal. As a progressive Democrat, she hasn’t always seen eye to eye with other members of her party.
Unlike the 2020 DNC, where Ocasio-Cortez was given much less time to speak, she was given plenty of room to share her thoughts. She used the additional space to acknowledge the war in Gaza and Vice President Kamala Harris “working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bring the hostages home.” She spoke about her middle-class background and rise to being a member of Congress and called Trump “a two-bit union buster” who “thinks of himself as more of a patriot than the woman who fights every single day to lift working people out from under the boots of greed trampling on our way of life.”
Beloved civil rights leader Jesse Jackson made a special appearance last night, coming onstage in a wheelchair and assisted by a few people, including Rev. Al Sharpton.
The 82-year-old didn’t offer any remarks and instead gave thumbs up to the crowd, his presence well-received by attendees.
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn didn’t mince words when he called Project 2025, the policy roadmap for a second Trump term authored by multiple people who were a part of his administration, “Jim Crow 2.0.”
“While Trump falsely pleads ignorance of Project 2025, which in my opinion is Jim Crow 2.0, Kamala has been offering the American people enlightened proposals and visionary leadership,” Clyburn said.
Project 2025, which Trump has distanced himself from, includes plans to restrict access to affordable health care and roll back education policies that have helped Black Americans achieve equal opportunity.
Biden’s keynote address last night was a poignant moment as he gave one of the last speeches of his presidency. He touted his accomplishments, called out Republican presidential nominee Dondald Trump, praised Vice President Kamala Harris, and gave a moving remark on ultimately deciding to bow out of this year’s presidential race, saying, “I love my job. But I love my country more.”
