Be it for their pristine nature or their supposed symbolism of incorruptibility, pearls have long been favored by women in politics. Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and Ayanna Pressley wear them regularly, and even hoop-earring devotee Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been known to wear a pair of pearl studs now and then. So it wasn’t a huge surprise that Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris wore pearls for her first public appearance with running mate Joe Biden last week, speaking at a podium at a high school gymnasium in Delaware.
But Harris’s fondness for pearls goes much deeper than any political stylist’s involvement. She proudly wears a single-strand pearl necklace and drop earrings in her 1986 graduation picture from Howard University, where she was part of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. AKA—the first Black Greek-letter sorority—has a legendary story in which they refer to their founding members and incorporators as the “Twenty Pearls.” Each new member is given a special badge decorated with 20 pearls upon initiation. It’s not unusual for a sorority to have its own symbolic elements—Kappa Alpha Theta has the kite, Delta Gamma the anchor—but the pearl may be the most wearable of them all.
“Pearls represent refinement and wisdom,” said Glenda Glover, international president of Alpha Kappa Alpha and president of Tennessee State University. “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 Alpha Kappa Alpha is all about.”
Harris’s pearl and gold chain necklace by jewelry designer (and fellow Californian) Irene Neuwirth is just one of a larger collection. Just as Michelle Obama embraced more modern pearl designs with layered necklaces and sculptural earrings, Harris too switches it up. Almost always wearing earrings or a necklace for important events, Harris wore Tahitian pearls (known for their striking dark color) to her swearing in to Congress. For her 2004 swearing in as district attorney of San Francisco, she donned a classic, single strand that could be in any suburban housewife’s jewelry box. Her double strand of pearls worn during her sizzling questioning of Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing was similar to former first lady Barbara Bush and Lady Bird Johnson’s own frequently worn necklaces.
Harris’s string of pearls may belong to her alone, but they carry extra meaning for her AKA sisters. “The strand of pearls speaks to solidarity among the members,” said Glover. And for one of their members to make history as the first Black woman to ever run on a major party’s national ticket? “It’s a great moment for AKA,” Glover said. “For African Americans. For women. Whether she wears pearls or not, it’s an inspiration.”
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