WASHINGTON — Three organizations dedicated to higher education for Black people say U.S. Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina, a fierce advocate for historically black colleges and universities, should be the next U.S. secretary of education in the Biden administration.
Leaders from UNCF, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education said Wednesday that they’ve written and spoken to Biden officials about Adams’ possible candidacy for at least a month.
“They were listening to us carefully. They noted our strong support, and we are waiting to hear back from them,” said Lodriguez Murray, a senior vice president at UNCF.
“We’re trying to make sure they understand that we’re looking for a champion like this in the upcoming administration and that person exists now. We’ll wait to hear back from them and we’ll see in the next few days.”
The groups announced their support for Adams on a virtual conference call Wednesday. Harry Williams, the president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, wrote a letter to the transition team, dated Nov. 20, to show his support for Adams.
Adams, who taught at Bennett College in Greensboro for 40 years, represents Mecklenburg County in the U.S. House. Adams, 74, is a former state House representative and won the congressional seat in 2014 in a special election.
Throughout her congressional tenure, Adams has advocated for HBCUs. There are at least 10 HBCUs in North Carolina, including North Carolina A&T in Greensboro and North Carolina Central University in Durham.
On Wednesday’s call, she was referred to as the “Godmother of HBCUs” in Congress. She is the founder of the Congressional Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caucus.
Adams was the lead sponsor of the FUTURE Act, which permanently authorized $255 million per year in funding for minority-serving institutions, including $85 million for HBCUs. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law.
“The impact that you have as an educator can be a lasting one,” Adams said on Wednesday’s call. “You never know who’s looking and who’s watching and where they’re going to go. I’m just grateful for having had that opportunity.”
Adams endorsed President-elect Joe Biden early in the crowded Democratic primary. Adams is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus’ first 100 days task force, which has regular calls with the Biden team. She said she has been in contact with his team throughout the campaign about education issues.
“I have shared many of my concerns about higher education and education in general with the Biden team,” she said. “If you look at the plan they have put together for education, for higher education and, particularly, for HBCUs as well, I’m glad that some of the comments we have made have reached those documents.”
Multiple sources familiar with the conversations around the appointment told McClatchy that Adams’ name has not come up for education secretary, which is currently held by Betsy DeVos.
They noted that House Democratic leadership, which will be operating with a slim majority in the new Congress, has been publicly wary of losing any additional members to the new administration. Resignations and appointments will set off special elections in those members' districts.
Adams did not face a Republican opponent in 2020 in her overwhelmingly Democratic district.
Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris met last week with Black civil rights leaders, including the heads of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Action Network and the National Urban League and The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights. Adams’ name did not come up at that meeting, a person familiar with the discussion said.
A spokesman for the NAACP said in a statement to McClatchy on Wednesday, however, that the organization is supportive of Adams for education secretary.
“Congresswoman Alma Adams is an exceptional choice for education secretary. Her background positions her to fully grasp the need for access to affordable and quality education at all academic stages. Her focus on shortening the achievement gap ensures more students have a fair chance at success,” the NAACP’s Marc Banks said.
Rep. Karen Bass, of California, was on Wednesday morning’s call for reporters and the higher education groups and praised Adams. The groups’ leaders made it clear she is their top choice.
“We know there are tremendous, brilliant, exciting people under consideration. Many are our friends. We salute them, we wish them well,” said Lezli Baskerville, president and CEO of NAFEO. “We know that Dr. Adams would well serve us. ... In these times, we need those things she brings.”
The National Education Association declined to comment. The organization has provided Biden’s team with criteria for picking an education secretary, but it has not weighed in publicly on potential nominees.
Adams was born in High Point, North Carolina, but attended high school in Newark, New Jersey. Adams earned undergraduate and master’s degrees at North Carolina A&T before earning a Ph.D. at Ohio State University.
She said her HBCU education “took a poor black girl walking the ghetto streets of Newark” to “sitting in this chair today.”
