Pearls have special meaning to Kamala Harris Michael A. Mccoy/Getty Images As it turns out, wearing pearls on election day is a nod to California Sen. Kamala Harris, The Independent reported. “You really begin to see development of African American fraternities right around 1906,” Ross said. It's Inauguration Day and women — especially Black women — are sporting pearls in honor of Vice President Kamala Harris.. But Harris’ affiliation with the group didn’t end when she graduated—her line sisters would become close friends, and many of them encouraged her on the campaign trail by making donations of exactly $19.08, a reference to the year AKA was founded. At the 59th inaugural ceremony, she wore a purple dress and matching coat by emerging designer Christopher John Rogers. Harris was seen wearing her go-to Chuck Taylor shoes and pearls on the campaign trail. Then, she named an important member of her chosen family. What Will Kamala Harris Wear for the Inauguration? In her acceptance speech, Harris spoke about how she wanted to have this impact, emphasizing that, “Every human being is of infinite worth deserving of compassion, dignity and respect.” She spoke about solidarity, about how it is necessary to work with others to create a better world. I am a grown-ass-woman. Privacy Statement The DC History Center gave the artifacts to the museum following their travelling exhibition, “100 Years of Service: The Alpha Kappa Alpha Story.”. Inaugurations can mean huge things. The accessories are two of Harris’s signatures, and they have special meaning. The vice president wore Christopher John Rogers and Sergio Hudson, two young Black designers. Kamala Harris Wears Christopher John Rogers, The Symbolism of Kamala Harris's DNC Outfit. Harper's BAZAAR participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The vice president has worn pearls as a homage to the sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, she belonged to at Howard University, and continued the tradition on Inauguration Day. The striking piece of jewelry was specifically made for Harris to mark this momentous occasion. “When you think about a pearl, its created by the roughness, you know, and we have pearls in every color, shape and size,” says Hope Aloaye, founder of the Facebook group. LIVE: Trump departs DC for Florida ahead of Biden’s inauguration Another popular group, “Chucks and Pearls Day, January 20th, 2021,” has 73,000 members. Kamala Harris Has Always Worn Pearls. Barry Samaha is a contributing fashion editor at BAZAAR.com, where he covers fashion news and trends reports, and writes features about all things style. It's all about the pearls on Jan. 20. Throughout her career, from California state senator to the campaign trail for Joseph Biden’s presidential run, Harris has chosen nontraditional pearl necklaces. Vice President Kamala Harris , former First Lady Michelle Obama, and former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are all wearing the historically important hue. From its inception, the group has focused on learning, providing aid for the poor and advancing civil rights. The hidden meaning behind Kamala Harris’s pearl necklace at the 2021 inauguration reveals the kind of leadership style we expect to see. Leadership is a principle that undercuts the “Divine Nine,” a group of nine historically black fraternities and sororities, which is formally known as the National Pan-Hellenic Council. I will create new meaning as I see fit. The objects were acquisitioned in 2011 along with various AKA-related materials, such as books and magazines, says Michèle Gates Moresi, the museum’s supervisory curator of collections. One Facebook group, “Wear Pearls on Jan 20th, 2021,” currently has around 375,800 members from 99 countries. The vice president seemingly follows the same mantra. “Pearls represent refinement and wisdom,” Glover told Shaw-Ellis. This timeless jewelry style has a hidden, empowering meaning. “It represents a historical moment, pride in having the first woman named vice president of the United States and a new beginning for our country.”, Betye Saar & Her Daughters on Beauty and Artmaking, A Bennifer Reunion Is the Love Story We Deserve, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. To ring in the next four years, Jennifer Lopez sang three — well, technically two and a quarter — songs at the inauguration of Joe Biden and … The Kamala Harris pearls ode is a nod to Alpha Kappa Alpha, the oldest historically Black sorority in the country, of which Harris is a former member. Why Kamala Harris Supporters Are Wearing ‘Chucks and Pearls’ on Inauguration Day – Jaweb. Kamala Harris' Inauguration Day outfit was packed with hidden meaning. I am the decider. It features gold open links with 12 South Sea pearls separated by 11 diamond brilliants, each of which holds special significance. What's the significance of the color purple? Ross also emphasized that these groups were important for building a sense of belonging and accountability. Some highlights from the collections include a Pendant for an AKA Member's Diamond Anniversary, which has a salmon pink and apple green AKA seal at its center. Give a Gift. Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. He is certainly not one to offer a simple strand. Most of the Divine Nine were created in the early 20th century to foster communities of like-minded individuals and to improve the world around them, as Lawrence C. Ross Jr., author of The Divine Nine: The History of African American Sororities and Fraternities, told NPR’s Karen Grigsby Bates in 2020. Staff at Eisenhower High School take part in the national Chucks and Pearls movement Wednesday to honor Vice President Kamala Harris on Inauguration Day. On August 19, 2020, Senator Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic vice-presidential nomination. “Pearls are linked to every woman.”, Though Aloaye is not a member of AKA, she still believes that championing other women is important and that wearing pearls can publicly display camaraderie, “[We] have women of every color, race, size, ethnicity and vocation,” Aloaye says. It means power, royalty and maybe even bipartisanship. What we talk about in my class is the significance of the occasion, what the new president hopes to achieve by it and what an inauguration can mean. Kamala Harris wore purple on Inauguration Day — a nod to bipartisanship and other symbols. Even without knowing where and when his design would land, he made sure to create a piece that truly reflected the vice president’s MO. Whether she wears pearls or not, it’s an inspiration.”. Get the best of Smithsonian magazine by email. “My mother instilled in my sister Maya and me the values that we chart,” she said, smiling at the camera. And what they're doing typically in the work of the fraternities and sororities is trying to deconstruct that.”. California Do Not Sell My Info Wear your Pearls on Inauguration Day Campaign – why we love this idea! “It’s a great moment for AKA. 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As the first Black woman and the first woman of South Asian descent to have the position, she’s an inspiration to many. When the suit-clad former prosecutor stepped up to the podium to give her speech, she commended the women who fought for the right to vote and the women in her family who nurtured her. Now, in Sisterhood, So Will They. Known for his imaginative work with pearls, fashioning intricate clusters or mixing them with gems that undercut conventional designs, Rosado instantly attracted fans like Julia Roberts and Mariah Carrey. Harris often expresses this solidary and has worn pearls at important events from her college graduation photoshoot to her swearing in ceremony as a United States senator of California in 2017. 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For this reason, thousands of women plan to wear pearls on Inauguration Day in support of Harris. “There was an expectation that we would cultivate and use our talents to take on roles in leadership and have an impact on other people, in our country, and maybe even the world.”. In fact, her emotional connection to the sorority runs so deep that she wore a symbol in support of her sisters—a 34” necklace bejeweled with Akoya and South Sea pearls—to her acceptance speech. “We have one common goal, which is to represent women on the 20th supporting a woman.”, Isis Davis-Marks is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. Advertising Notice Meaning, hopes, and impact. “A lot of this is tied basically to the idea that college moved from being the place of the elite where they would just go to be able to get a degree as part of the educated class, to a place where college was part of the social and economic movement in society.”. December 30, 2020. “We weren’t just told we had the capacity to be great; we were challenged to live up to that potential,” Harris wrote of her AKA experience in her autobiography, The Truths We Hold. Cookie Policy “This is more than just a piece of jewelry,” he says. Titled “Wear Pearls on Jan 20th, 2021”, the group now has 462.8K members and has become a platform for women of different ages, races, cultural backgrounds, and countries to provide daily support for each other. “Pearls represent refinement and wisdom,” Glover told Shaw-Ellis. January 22, 2021. Harris accessorized the look with her signature pearls — this style is from Wilfredo Rosado — a nod to her Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. “The strand of pearls speaks to solidarity among the members,” Glenda Glover, international president of AKA, told Vanity Fair’s Daisy Shaw-Ellis in a 2020 article. Kamala Harris will make history on January 20 when she’s sworn in as vice president. Its founders are referred to as the “Twenty Pearls,” and every inductee is given a badge with 20 pearls. Ethel Hedgeman founded AKA in 1908 at Howard University with similar aims: She wanted to create a support network for black women so that they could uplift themselves and others. With jeans and a tee, or with a little pink dress. And they have a moral responsibility not just to get a degree for themselves, but to also enrich the community,” Ross said. For women. In honor of this great—and historic—day, three of the most influential women in the country chose to wear the same, very significant color: purple. She also accessorized her ensemble with a pearl necklace by Wilfredo Rosado. Both First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris opted to wear American designers for the historic day. I really think that Franklin Roosevelt’s 1933 speech, in many ways, turned the national psychology around. Read on for the real meaning and symbolism behind Sen. Harris pearls—and their connection to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. For the first—and only— time during the 2020 election season, Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence took their turn on the debate floor on October 7. It's also connected to the women's suffrage movement. Kamala Harris made history today, becoming the first female and first Black and South Asian vice president of the United States. In honor of this great—and historic—day, three of the most influential women in the country chose to wear the same, very significant color: purple. Women wear pearls on Inauguration Day ... Just that visual watched by millions of Americans on tv will show the significance of the strides that … VP Kamala Harris Wears Prabal Gurung on Day One, A Cautious Celebration of Kamala Harris's VP Nom. “Black people, and not just black people in the Divine Nine, understand that they are not in college simply based upon their own individual characteristics. “Family is my beloved Alpha Kappa Alpha,” she said. The Brooklyn-based designer, who was born in New Jersey to Puerto Rican parents, spent more than two decades in the industry working as a fashion director at Interview magazine and Giorgio Armani, before founding his eponymous jewelry brand in 2011. Or with Chucks. The educator who is known for her more refined style … (Bob McParland/High School District 218) KAMALA HARRIS wore pearls with a symbolic meaning as she officially became the first female Vice President of the United States of America. or Now, the world will see many others proudly wearing her statement look. Many members have even offered to donate pearls to those who don’t have any so they can be apart of the movement. For the 2021 inauguration, women across the country are wearing pearls and Converse sneakers to symbolize Harris' historic moment alongside President-elect Joe Biden. Rosado was first contacted by Harris’s team in September. Happy Inauguration Day! Terms of Use Another item called, Pin for Honorary Member of AKA, is festooned with three green ivy leaves, each of which is adorned with a gold letter, together spelling AKA. It will be an inauguration day like no other. The triangularly arranged leaves are affixed to a gold circle border decorated with 20 opalescent pearls. The vice president has worn pearls as a homage to the sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, she belonged to at Howard University, and continued the tradition on Inauguration Day. Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle arrive for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol for President-elect Joe … 18th Annual Photo Contest Winners and Finalists Announced! Smithsonian Institution, (NMAAHC, gift of the Historical Society of Washington, DC and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.). The senator’s tribute to AKA highlighted her affection for the group. The vice president-elect joined the esteemed sorority in 1986 when she was a senior at Howard University, a federally chartered historically black university (HBCU), notes Janelle Okwodu in Vogue. By the time Harris gave her acceptance speech last year, the group’s numbers had ballooned to more than 300,000 members. The Kamala Harris pearls ode is a nod to Alpha Kappa Alpha, the oldest historically Black sorority in the country, which Harris joined while at Howard University. For this reason, thousands of women plan to wear pearls on Inauguration Day in support of Harris. Keep up-to-date on: © 2021 Smithsonian Magazine. Well, not just pearls. “The necklace has a few unifying themes; the gold chain link symbolizes strength, the pearl is representative of both femininity and resilience, and the diamonds add a hint of glamour that I felt was perfect for the occasion,” Rosado tells BAZAAR.com. I declare pearls proper for any time of day or night. The striking piece of jewelry was designed by Wilfredo Rosado. For African Americans. She added, “She taught us to put family first. Happy Inauguration Day! According to the sorority’s website, Hedgeman and eight of her classmates formed a group that, “fostered interaction, stimulation and ethical growth among members.” Five years later, the group was incorporated, which ensured its legacy. I and soft and strong. Her message resonated with thousands of women across the country, and many of them plan on wearing pearls this Inauguration Day to support Harris. There are so many incredible images of women of all ages and races from all over the US wearing their favorite pearl necklaces or peal encrusted accessories. The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) has 15 AKA badges, pendants, medallions and pins in its collection. The First Lady continued the tradition set by many First Ladies who went before her as she chose to wear an emerging designer for the historic day. The Facebook group Wear your Pearls on Inauguration Day is giving me life. [Both] the family you're born into and the family you choose.”. A diamond rests at the peak of the seal, honoring diamond members who were initiated between 1938 and 1939. “We train young ladies to be leaders and to make sure they have the wisdom to lead…and that goes hand in hand with the true meaning of what AKA is all about.”. 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