Democrats Honor Rep. Artur Davis

Speaking at the Harvard College Democrats’ annual banquet Friday night, a politician who is touted as the possible first black governor of Alabama said that he expects to see a black president and a female president in our lifetime.

“More important will be that no one will care about the color or gender of our president,” said U.S. Rep. Artur G. Davis ’90 (D-Ala.), who also received the Dems’ first “Leadership Award.”

Joined by Cambridge Mayor Michael Sullivan, Institute of Politics Director Philip Sharp, and Former U.S. Rep. Brad Carson (D-Okla.), Davis lauded the uniqueness of the Harvard community.

“The time you spend here will be among the most hallowed in your lives,” said Davis, who graduated from Harvard College magna cum laude in 1990 and cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1993. “You are surrounded by the most intelligent and most thoughtful people, and I urge you to learn from the people you sit next to.”

In 2002, Davis defeated five-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Earl Hilliard (D-Ala.) in the primaries, leading many to speculate about his political future in the governor’s house.

"I’ve tried to speak the same story to blacks and whites, as I feel their issues are very similar in my state,” said Davis after the event. “I would never ask to be elected just because I am black. But if I can convince them that our values and beliefs coincide, I believe I can win,” he said of the voters.

In addition to presenting the award, which will be given annually to a young politician whose accomplishments have garnered national attention and who embodies what the Dems hope to be the future of the Democratic Party, the banquet focused on the achievements of the group throughout the year.

“Tonight is a celebration of what we’ve accomplished,” said Harlan Piper ‘08. “We were in New Hampshire every week leading up to the election in the fall.”

In addition to over 10 student trips to New Hampshire in which over 30,000 voters were contacted during the 2004 campaign, the College Democrats organized over six campaign trips on behalf of marriage equality in Massachusetts.

Despite the disappointing outcome of the 2004 presidential campaign, Dems President Greg M. Schmidt ’06 said he was optimistic about the organization’s continuing efforts.

“It was worth it,” Schmidt said of their efforts. “What’s most important is how are we working, students and Congressmen alike, to make this a better place?”

In his speech, Carson agreed that sustained activism is vital to furthering the Democratic Party.

“It is not easy being a Democrat today in America. Change is needed, and at times we are complacent,” Carson said. “But we are here on a Friday night when we could be doing other things, and this shows how willing we are to make the changes necessary for our project to succeed.”

Davis asked the Harvard undergraduates to remember one point above all—a point central to how his Harvard experience has uniquely shaped his political views.

“One thing that you learn is that there is so much talent around you, from so many different places,” Davis said. “Unfortunately, we tend to view our differences as a point of division, rather than celebrating them as a real source of strength.”

Undergraduate Council Secretary Matthew R. Greenfield ’08 felt that this was the objective of the evening as a whole.

“Harvard can be insulated at times, so it’s good to have an event like this to celebrate the broader community that is the Democratic Party,” Greenfield said.