Students at Morehouse School of Medicine join wave of HBCU protests of GOP-backed commencement speakers
Rep. Rich McCormick, a MSM alum, reportedly supported legislation that made it more difficult for lower-income students to attend the medical school.
As commencements get underway across the country, Morehouse School of Medicine is demanding that one of its alumni not speak at its graduation.
Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) was selected as speaker for the Morehouse School of Medicine’s commencement on May 16, with school leaders touting his appearance as a “homecoming.” Current students have begun a protest against his appearance, stating through a petition that his views and voting record in Congress vastly differ from the school’s foundational mission to improve the well-being of people and increase diversity in a field where Black people are woefully underrepresented.
“As future physicians, we realize that we’re going to interact with diverse patients who have different perspectives, but we feel that someone who’s championing us on our graduation day and giving us a charge to move forward with the future should also uphold our values and the morals that we uphold,” Kiara Huff, a student at MSM, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
On Wednesday (May 6), students from the school held signs on campus calling for MSM to rescind its offer to McCormick to speak at graduation. One sign read “DEI Saves Lives.”
McCormick, who has spoken at his alma mater before, still has eyes on attending the ceremony, saying he respects the “different opinions” about him delivering this year’s commencement speech, but stands by his “record of public service and support for policies that improve Americans’ well-being,” according to a statement obtained by the AJC.
Although protests at MSM are rare, the reaction from students echoes that of other soon-to-be HBCU graduates who took issue with some of the commencement speakers selected for their big day.
At South Carolina State University, students were originally set to have Pamela Evette, the state’s Lt. Governor, serve as speaker. Due to increased student backlash, the school informed students that Evette would not be speaking, citing security concerns. On Thursday (May 7), SC State announced two new speakers for commencement: SC State National Alumni Association President Yolanda Williams and Student Government Association President Zaria Tucker.
McCormick responds to protest
The news has not deterred McCormick, who is the first graduate of the Morehouse School of Medicine to be elected to Congress.
“I plan to deliver the speech to honor my alma mater, celebrate the graduates’ achievements, and continue a tradition I’ve been part of before. My character and contributions should be judged on merit, not politics or appearance,” he said.
In a letter shared across campus, students stated that school administrators were not hearing their concerns about McCormick, citing his endorsement of President Donald Trump and his support for legislation opposing gender-affirming care and restricting immigration in the United States. Students’ chief issue with McCormick is his support for a bill that would cap student loans for many low-income students who have relied on them to afford medical school.
During a town hall in Marietta on Tuesday, McCormick voiced his disappointment with the protest.
“That’s my alma mater. That’s where I graduated from. I’m a student body president there,” McCormick said. “I got protests in the last couple of days, and it was hurtful since I’ve already given a commencement speech there as student body president.”
In March, Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) sponsored the HBCU Research Capacity Act, a bill that would help increase HBCUs’ access to federal research funding in the Senate. Warnock previously spoke at the MSM commencement of 2021. McCormick would introduce the same bill in the House a month later, joining two Democrats in sponsoring it.
The petition against McCormick has garnered over 1,100 signatures, with some alumni commenting on the issue.
“As a 2006 Alumni, I am appalled by this speaker selection,” one alum wrote. “His values, platform and leadership as a congressman stand in direct opposition to the mission of MSM. My speaker was the illustrious Dr. Maya Angelou. I feel sorry for our 2026 graduating class.”