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Dr. Cornel West named Black Lives Matter Grassroots founder Dr. Melina Abdullah as his running mate for his 2024 presidential campaign in a historical moment.
On Wednesday (April 10), independent presidential candidate Cornel West chose fellow academic, activist, and Black Lives Matter organizer Dr. Melina Abdullah as his vice president nominee. He announced the nomination during a virtual press conference which media personality and friend, Tavis Smiley moderated.

“She has a record of deep commitment and investment in ensuring that poor and working people are at the center of her vision,” West said of Abdullah, also calling her a “freedom fighter” in his introduction. “I wanted to to run with someone who would put a smile on the face of Fannie Lou Hamer and Martin Luther King Jr. from the grave.” The selection makes their campaign the first to have two Black candidates on the ticket in history. Abdullah is a Pan-African Studies professor at California State University, who 
“I am deeply honored and humbled to join Dr. Cornel West as his Vice Presidential candidate at this critical moment as we work together for transformative change. This campaign offers a real vision for the world that stands in opposition to oppressive forces and holds fast to the universal principles of truth, justice, and love,” Abdullah said of her nomination. She also noted the other historical factors in her selection as “divine timing”, being that she is the first Muslim to be included on a presidential ticket with the announcement coming on Eid-al-Fitr, “the holiest day for Muslims.” West is a Christian who is on the faculty at the Union Theological Seminary.
Abdullah brings a distinctive presence to the race, as her teaming up with West presents an alternative to Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican Party nominee Donald Trump in the election this November, particularly as Biden has come under fire for supporting Israel during its conflict with Hamas. She was also named to the board of Black Lives Matter after co-founder Patrisse Cullors stepped down in 2021 after increased scrutiny of the social justice group’s finances were exposed in a New York Magazine article. West formerly was a People’s Party presidential candidate before switching to the Green Party weeks later.