In a significant nod to her roots, Vice President Kamala Harris will spend election night at Howard University, her alma mater and a pivotal place in her journey to the White House. The news was confirmed to NPR by a source familiar with her plans, who requested anonymity prior to the official announcement.

Howard University holds a special significance for Harris, where she first engaged in student politics as a freshman class representative and later pledged her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, in 1986. Notably, she launched her presidential campaign in 2019 from the campus, highlighting the university’s role in shaping her identity and aspirations.

In a recent letter to the student newspaper, the Hilltop, Harris reflected on her time at “The Mecca,” stating, “I recognize my time at Howard shaped me into the person I am today. At Howard, we learn that we have the capacity to be great and also that we have the responsibility to work hard to live up to that potential each day.”

As the first vice president to be an alum of a Historically Black College or University, Harris has the potential to make history as the first president with such a background if she secures a second term. 

On the other hand, Donald Trump’s campaign has announced that it will hold an election night watch party at a convention center in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he also owns a resort. However, the campaign has yet to reveal Trump’s specific plans for election night.