Democrats and Republicans hold Black History Month celebrations with an eye on November’s election

By MATT BROWN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Black History Month was celebrated in the nation’s capital with dueling events on Tuesday highlighting the divide between Democrats’ and Republicans’ approaches to courting Black voters in the 2024 presidential election. At the White House, descendants of civil rights icons and Black historical figures convened with Biden officials including Vice President Kamala Harris. Later that evening, Republicans held a reception celebrating activists working to make inroads with Black voters. The two events highlighted where each party starts in its efforts to court Black voters, who overwhelmingly have supported Democrats, in an election when polls indicate the community may be more persuadable than in the past.