Jaime Harrison and Minyon Moore kick off DNC with spotlight on past Black leaders : NPR

The NPR Network will be reporting live from Chicago throughout the week bringing you the latest on the Democratic National Convention.

Democrats will make history this week in nominating Vice President Kamala Harris as their choice for president — the first Black woman and Asian-American to secure the nomination in the party’s nearly 200-year-old history.

Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison and convention chair Minyon Moore, who are both Black, kicked off the event with remarks spotlighting past Black leaders who set the stage for Harris’ run.

“Every convention is a moment. It’s a moment that contributes to our movement,” he said, praising activist Fannie Lou Hamer and the first woman to run for president as a Democrat, Shirley Chisholm.

“All of these moments led us to this transformational moment when a Black convention chair and a Black DNC chair lead us in nominating a Black and AAPI woman to be the next president of the United States,” Harrison said.

Harrison and his sons, age 9 and 5, lead the convention in the Pledge of Allegiance

Civil rights icon Jesse Jackson was also honored at the event, and the 82 year old’s appearance, aided by a wheelchair, brought some convention goers to tears.

Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson appear onstage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Jackson several times attempted to secure the Democratic nomination for the presidency, but despite falling short in that pursuit, speakers credited Jackson’s determination for leading the way to former President Obama’s success and now, to Harris.

Obama is scheduled to address the convention on its second day.