Stacey Abrams becomes newest faculty member of Howard University

Two-time Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has become the newest faculty member at the historically Black college Howard University in Washington, D.C. 

Abrams, known for her voting rights activism, will be the inaugural Ronald W. Walters Endowed Chair for Race and Black Politics.

“Stacey Abrams has proven herself an essential voice and eager participant in protecting American democracy — not just for certain populations, but for everyone with the fundamental right to make their voices heard,” Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick said.

“As the inaugural Ronald W. Walters Endowed Chair, Ms. Abrams’s selection not only honors the work and legacy of renowned political strategist and scholar Dr. Ronald Walters, it expands on that legacy by bringing Howard students in dialogue with a contemporary candidate whose work has directly influenced today’s political landscape.”

Walters was a professor at Howard for 25 years and a leading scholar on politics and race. In 1958, he organized one of the country’s first lunch counter sit-ins in Kansas, according to The Washington Post. He would later go on to advise Rev. Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaigns. Walters died in 2010.

The endowed chair was first announced in 2020 when Walters’s wife, Patricia Turner Walters, gifted Howard a collection of African American art valued at more than $2.5 million. 

In her new role, Abrams will lead research around the university on political issues affecting Black Americans, hold symposiums and workshops and collaborate with other faculty members on these issues. 

“We are entering an inflection point in American politics where the conversation of race and Black politics will be a central facet,” Abrams, 49, told The Washington Post. “And having the chance to help guide part of the conversation for young people who are studying at Howard University is an exceptional opportunity.”

Abrams ran for governor of Georgia twice but lost both times to former Secretary of State Brian Kemp (R). Still, she became a powerhouse for Democrats by helping mobilize Black voters particularly across the Peach State. 

Many have argued her work helped secure President Biden the White House in 2020, and there was speculation she would be selected as part of his Cabinet. 

According to the Washington Post, Abrams has not ruled out another run for office in the coming years — but for now she says she plans to use her time in the classroom to bring real world solutions to complex political problems facing Americans today.  

“People don’t care about your politics,” she said. “They care about their lives.”