Morehouse defends students, faculty who turned their backs during Biden speech: ‘We are proud’

Morehouse College is praising its students and faculty after at least seven graduates and one faculty member sat with their backs turned to President Biden as he delivered his commencement address at the Atlanta school earlier Sunday.

Morehouse said "peaceful assembly is core" to the school’s "social justice tradition," and its administration "fully supports and defends the right to peacefully protest and the expression of one’s views openly." 

Given its most famous alumni, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Morehouse said it was "fitting that a moment of organized, peaceful, activism would occur on our campus while the world is watching to continue a critical conversation." 

"We are proud of the resilient class of 2024’s unity in silent protest, showing their intentionality in strategy, communication, and coordination as a 412-person unit," Morehouse said.