College pics of Kamala Harris help highlight her Black Greek history

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The mobilizing power of Black sororities has been in focus ever since Kamala Harris launched her presidential campaign last month. Harris, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. since her days at Howard University, has received rousing receptions at two major events for Black sororities in recent weeks, including the biennial convention for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.'s 60th biennial Boule. Any time Harris has pulled up to these events, her fellow Divine Nine sisters showed the palpable energy they — and Black Greeks broadly — stand to bring her campaign. For those familiar with Black Greek-letter organizations, there was never any question that members of these groups — which love to tout their esteemed legacies and pride themselves on their links to Black history — would broadly coalesce around Harris, as they did in 2020. I've noted several Black Greeks were speakers on the Win With Black Men organizing call for Harris last month. That call, which helped disprove a social media narrative about Black men being averse to voting for Harris, came on the heels of the previous night’s Win With Black Women call, which similarly featured multiple speakers from Black sororities. Both calls showed how Black Greeks and their networks can help mobilize Black folks around important political matters. And the possibility of electing the first AKA president — the first Black Greek president — is, as members of the org might say, a serious matter. Late last month on “The ReidOut,” Joy Reid spoke with two of Harris’ line sisters (that is, women who pledged at the same time she did). After the clip aired, several viewers said they'd hoped to see some pics of the VP from her days on campus — or “on the yard,” as it’s often said. We'd included fairly recent photos of the VP and her line sisters in the segment, but we’re happy to share some throwbacks now that we have them! Check them out! And watch the clip of Joy's conversation with Harris' line sisters Monique Poydras and Lori Saddler below! Kamala Harris, right, with line sister Monique Poydras, left, and another woman in 1986. 38 JOIS, Spring 1986 archives Kamala Harris, second from left, with three of her line sisters in 1986. 38 JOIS, Spring 1986 archives