In the year 2021, it’s hard to believe that no woman has ever delivered the commencement address at the U.S. Naval Academy. That changed today when Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to the graduating class, the first female to do so in the school’s 175-year history.
The @VP delivers the keynote address at the U.S. Naval Academy graduation and commissioning ceremony — the first woman do to so in the institution’s long history pic.twitter.com/kd8cmJwmza
— Peter Velz (@PeterVelz46) May 28, 2021
The New York Times points out:
Harris, the first woman and person of color to be vice president, will not be the only one on Friday to have made history at the Naval Academy. Among the graduates at the socially distanced commencement ceremony will be Midshipman First Class Sydney Barber, the first Black woman in the academy’s history to serve as brigade commander.
The AP writes, “Harris focused on the challenges of the pandemic, climate change and cybersecurity threats during her keynote speech.”
Most of the 1,084 graduates were commissioned as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps, including 784 Navy ensigns and 274 Marines as 2nd lieutenants. About 28% of the graduating class are women.
Harris said “the American people are depending on you.”
Before speaking, the VP paid visited the late Sen. John McCain‘s grave to pay her respects.
Watch her speech above.