The mood at Howard University, where Harris was poised for a victory lap, remains tense

WASHINGTON — As midnight approached Tuesday night at Howard University, where a crowd of Kamala Harris supporters gathered to await the presidential election results, lingering anxiety gave way to excitement. And then worry.

That's how it was all night in “The Yard” at the historically black college from which Harris graduated in 1986. Moments of jubilation were obscured by forecasts that favored her rival, Republican Donald Trump.

As Tuesday night turned into Wednesday morning, concerns about the unknown took over.

“I wanted this to be a coronation tonight,” said Ben Eddins, a Howard alumnus. “She deserves it. But we'll have to wait and see. Whatever the outcome, this moment is special, and Kamala Harris is special.”

At about 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond told the crowd that Harris would not address supporters.

“We still have to count votes. We still have states that haven’t called,” Richmond said. “You’ll hear from her tomorrow.”

Hours before the predictions were announced, 18-year-old Tiara Martin said she understood the excitement that black Americans in particular felt after Barack Obama was elected the first black president of the United States.

“I heard black people were so excited and emotional,” said Martin, a freshman. “This is who I am now. The campus feels like a ball of energy about to explode.”

Harris has returned to campus several times, including as commencement speaker in 2017. She also announced in 2019 that she would run for president at Howard, a place she calls “home.”

But these occasions had nothing to do with Tuesday night, as the general mood of the campus celebration changed over several hours.

The Howard University Gospel Choir performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “Oh, Happy Day” as a service element early in the night. There was a college homecoming feel with members of the Divine Nine, the network of black fraternities and sororities, pacing to upbeat music. The university's Bison band played.

University President Wayne AI Frederick added a historical element in a brief speech. “You stand on holy, hallowed ground that has witnessed history,” he told the overflow crowd, made up mostly of students. “They stand on grass sown by our ancestors, flanked by buildings whose bricks bore witness to how former slaves became scholars. … Tonight our court is open in unity to all people, all races, creeds, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds.”

And the event definitely had a party element to it, as guests moved to the sounds of the DJ and performed line dances with pure joy. “I feel all of this,” said Yolanda Robinson, a 1992 Howard graduate who traveled from Philadelphia. “This is what we do: come together as a family to celebrate each other while supporting our sister who represented us all so well. It’s a joy.”

But the music and celebration stopped when the results came in, and Trump took a big lead by winning all the traditionally Republican states, according to NBC News forecasts. Harris kept pace by not losing any blue or Democratic states, according to the projections. But their path to history began to shorten as Trump's numbers increased, particularly in swing states like North Carolina and Georgia, where he emerged victorious, according to NBC News.

Then the celebrating stopped and anxiety took over. Every update in which Trump took the lead drew loud boos. A Harris lead elicited loud screams like you would hear at a sporting event.

That's how it was for most of the late night – the excitement and hope interrupted by the specter of a Trump victory.

Still, 20-year-old Jabari Robinson, a junior, said he was consumed by the moment, even though he was worried about the end result.

“I’m just amazed,” Robinson said. “It is an honor to be a student at Howard University at this time. We all talk about how great it is to see an alumna in this historic position. It shows you that anything is possible if you work hard. Kamala Harris is a powerful confirmation of this stereotype. I feel all the energy and hope in the air. I’m inspired.”

Renae Martin, a 1976 Howard graduate, said he had an eye-opening moment when the results were announced.

“If you really think about it, Kamala Harris has already won,” she said. “Look at all this pomp and circumstance for a black woman on the campus of a black college. The whole world is watching. That doesn't happen every day. It never happens. That just hit me. She’s already won.”

Harris certainly galvanized a community. “It's like a homecoming, but different because it's not just about fun,” said Sandra Fields, a Howard graduate. “This feels like a homecoming with a purpose. We celebrate and laugh and hug each other. But we also pray for something bigger than all of us.”