Joe Biden remembers son Beau Biden in his Memorial Day speech

The weekend marked Memorial Day in honor of Americans who lost their lives while serving in the military. In his speech commemorating the occasion, President Joe Biden remembers his late son, Beau Biden, while calling for unity.

Speaking from his home state in Delaware, Biden recalled his late son, who served in the military and offered words of comfort to families who are still grieving over their losses. Biden’s son, Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015.

“I know how much the loss hurts. I know the black hole it leaves in the middle of your chest,” said Biden, who made his speech at the Veterans Memorial Park near the Delaware Memorial Bridge. “I promise you, the day will come when the mention of the name of your son or daughter, husband, wife -- they will, in fact, bring not a tear to your eye, but a smile to your lips. I hope that day comes sooner than later.”

Biden also called for unity following a bitter 2020 presidential election that resulted in the insurrection at the Capitol last January by supporters of former President Donald Trump. To this day, many Republicans still believe that Trump won the election and have refused to acknowledge Biden.

Biden also praised army veterans in his speech and shared a little of what he plans to discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin when they meet in Geneva in June. Biden said he plans to send Putin the same message he sent Chinese President Xi Jinping in his phone conversation.

Meanwhile, Biden declared Monday, May 31, a Day of Remembrance to mark the 100th Anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, which killed many Black Americans and left almost 10,000 homeless. Biden is set to visit Tulsa on Tuesday to deliver remarks and tour the Greenwood Cultural Center as well as meet with the surviving members of the community.

The massacre took place in 1921 at Greenwood, a predominantly Black community. Biden added that his administration is committed to acknowledging the role that Federal policy played in Greenwood and other predominantly Black communities while addressing racial inequities in the form of making historic investments in the economic security of children and families, programs that would provide capital to small businesses in underserved communities, and ensuring that infrastructure projects would provide opportunities and advance racial equity among others.