Cornel West Names Dr. Melina Abdullah As VP Running Mate For First-Ever All-Black Presidential Ticket

Dr. Melina Abdullah, one of the founders of BLM, speaks at the 10th anniversary Black Lives Matter Festival in Leimert Park on Saturday, July 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, CA. | Source: Jason Armond / Getty

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West looked to his familiar worlds of academia and activism when he named his vice presidential running mate candidate on Wednesday.

Using a virtual press event moderated by pundit Tavis Smiley, West revealed that he had selected noted scholar and original Black Lives Matter (BLM) leader Dr. Melina Abdullah to join him on what is now the first-ever all-Black presidential ticket.

West called Abdullah — a co-founder of BLM Los Angeles who is also a professor and former chair of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles — “one of the great freedom fighters of her generation.”

Presidential candidate Dr. Cornel West speaks to the community and congregation at Second Baptist Church in Santa Ana on March 29, 2024. | Source: MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images / Getty

Abdullah, 51, said her candidacy with West, 70, also made for the first presidential ticket to include a Muslim and credited “divine timing” for her selection as West’s running mate.

Referencing her faith, Abdullah noted that Wednesday is Eid, “the holiest day for Muslims.”

West, a faculty member at Union Theological Seminary, is an avowed Christian.

Watch the press event below.

This is a developing story that will be updated.

SEE ALSO:

Cornel West: Biden Is ‘Running Out Of Gas’ And Might Stop Running For Reelection

Cornel West Defends Campaign Contribution From GOP Donor Harlan Crow: ‘I Am Unbought And Unbossed’

The post Cornel West Names Dr. Melina Abdullah As VP Running Mate For First-Ever All-Black Presidential Ticket appeared first on NewsOne.

Read more