The history behind Kamala Harris's big DNC speech

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By Made by History / Produced by Olivia B. Waxman

In her acceptance speech on Thursday night, Kamala Harris—like many of the speakers at the Democratic National Convention—is likely to devote significant attention to her campaign theme: freedom. Many observers have interpreted this theme as being about the abortion wars or voting rights. But in fact, as Stacie Taranto and Leandra Zarnow explain in Made by History, this focus is about much more. Harris is tapping into a long tradition of women, especially women of color, confronting turmoil and efforts to restrict rights by launching ambitious, future-oriented campaigns built around expanding freedom. These far-reaching campaigns have rarely come to fruition in the activists’ lifetimes. Yet, as Taranto and Zarnow argue, Harris may buck that trend as she embraces this history of imaginative thinking about the possibilities of democracy.

The Dan David Prize, the largest history prize in the world (and a sponsor of Made by History), annually awards $300,000 each to nine early and mid-career scholars and practitioners in historical disciplines, acknowledging their outstanding achievements to date and to support future work. Anyone can nominate a practitioner in the relevant disciplines, and nominations for the 2025 Prize are open until Sept. 30. For more information visit dandavidprize.org/nominate .

HISTORY ON TIME.COM

History Shows What Biden Needs to Do at the DNC to Help Harris Win

By Kyle Longley / Made by History

Biden needs to avoid the mistakes made in 1968 by Lyndon Johnson, who regretted his decision to step aside.

The Long Tradition of Midwestern Democratic Populism That Gave the World Tim Walz

By Cory Haala / Made by History

Walz is following in the footsteps of Democrats like Tom Harkin and Paul Wellstone, who fought for workers and farmers in the Midwest.

How Kamala Harris Embodies the Ethos of Howard University

By Margaret Vigil-Fowler / Made by History

Harris is the first presidential nominee of either major party to graduate from a historically Black college or university (HBCU).

The Long History of Black Collegiate Sororities Mobilizing Voters

By Brooke Alexis Thomas / Made by History

Kamala Harris, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, has addressed Black sororities on the campaign trail.

Opponents of Academic Freedom Get the History of Classical Education Wrong

By Bradford Vivian / Made by History

The classical education that conservatives claim to be protecting actually necessitates academic freedom.

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FROM THE TIME VAULT

This week in 1974: Richard Nixon resigns, succeeded by Gerald Ford


DAVID HUME KENNERLY
The Aug. 19, 1974, cover of TIME

“It was the first time in American history that a President had resigned his office. The precedent was melancholy, but it was hardly traumatic. All of the damage had been done before in the seemingly interminable spectacle of high officials marched through courtrooms, in the recitation of burglaries, crooked campaign contributions and bribes, enemies lists, powers abused, subpoenas ignoredâ€”above all, in the ugly but mesmerizing suspense as the investigations drew closer and closer to the Oval Office. Now the dominant emotion was one of sheer relief.”

This week in 1983: Jesse Jackson


DAVID HUME KENNERLY
The Aug. 22, 1983, cover of TIME

“Jesse Louis Jackson, 41…has for 15 years sought to don the mantle of his mentor Martin Luther King Jr. By turns he can be fascinating and frightening, inspiring and irritating, charismatic and controversial. And so too is the crusade he has been considering. On one level it would be the ultimate embodiment of the American political ideal, an affirmation that every child of the nation, yes even a black one, can some day seek the presidency. Yet on another level, it would be as far removed from conventional politics as Jackson is removed from conventional politicians. The rally in Los Angeles a week ago marked Jackson’s latest tentative step toward becoming a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.”

This week in 2000: Al Gore (R) and Joe Lieberman


TIME
The Aug. 14, 2000, cover of TIME

“The Connecticut Senator’s reputation for thoughtfulness and rectitude bolsters Gore in much the same way Gore bolstered Clinton eight years ago, before two terms alongside the President tarnished his shield. Lieberman’s past and present denunciations of Clinton’s “immoral” behavior help insulate Gore from the country’s disgust with Clinton ethics. (The implicit argument: Lieberman said what Gore felt but as Vice President could not permit himself to say.) The fact that Lieberman is the first Jew on a major party ticket makes Gore’s choice historic, courageous and potentially transformative…”

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