Colorful commentary
Why is everyone wearing purple?
There's a standout color at the inaugural events this week: purple.
Kamala Harris donned the color on Inauguration Day as she became vice president, and Jill Biden, the incoming first lady, wore it for Tuesday night's vigil at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool for Americans who have died of COVID-19.
Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton also wore the color Wednesday. But why?
Onlookers are pointing to the color — a combination of red and blue — as a symbol of unity.
Jonathan Cohen, the designer behind Biden's Tuesday night ensemble, shared a message from user @georgeanaux on his Instagram Story:
“Red + Blue = Purple,” the message wrote. “This moment is about unity. Not red vs. blue, but all of us coming together as a Nation.”
Actress Jane Lynch also noted some color symbolism Wednesday on Twitter, writing, “Color: Clintons in purple (red+blue). Bushes in blue (Dems). Obama's in red (Repubs). Unity.”
Others added that the color represents women's suffrage.
“Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Kamala Harris ... Wearing shades of purple. The color of women's suffrage,” user @ktrain_11 tweeted.
Harris nodded to women's suffrage by wearing white during her first speech as vice president-elect in November. The colors honor the women's suffrage movement that led to the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, which granted women the right to vote. American suffrage colors — purple, white and yellow — stood for loyalty, purity and hope, respectively.
Others thought Harris' outfit might be a nod to Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, whom Harris has noted “created a path” for her.
“My fave @cnn commentator @abbydphillip notes that Kamala Harris is wearing purple — a nod to Shirley Chisholm,” user @JillFilipovic tweeted.
“It was the color Shirley Chisholm wore and her campaign colors were yellow and purple as well,” user @FourGenCali wrote.