The 2020 Democratic National Convention (conducted virtually due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic), was held August 17–20, 2020. Each night of the convention was scheduled to last two hours. In addition to the convention's overall official theme of "Uniting America", each night had an official sub-theme of its own.
Daytime events Caucus meetings and other events were streamed on various platforms earlier on the days of the convention. Virtual policy roundtables were hosted in partnership with Business Forward. Many partner organization events were planned to be held, including a Protect Our Care health care panel with Nancy Pelosi, Xavier Becerra, Kathleen Sebelius, and three of the five health care activists featured in a conversation with Joe Biden on Night 2 of the convention.
Before the convention opened, an Interfaith Welcome Service was held virtually on August 16, a partner event to the DNC.
Monday (August 17) evening program
9:00–11:00 p.m. EDT
Emcee: Eva Longoria
Theme "We the People"
Sub-themes "We the People Demanding Racial Justice" "We the People Helping Each Other Through COVID-19" "We the People Putting Country Over Party" "We the People Recovering" "We the People Rise"
Evening schedule Opening ceremonies Introduction by actress Eva Longoria Call to Order by convention chair Bennie Thompson Pledge of Allegiance Performance of the United States national anthem ("The Star-Spangled Banner") Invocation by Gabriel Salguero Main convention program Benediction by Jerry Young Nightly close of order by convention chair Bennie Thompson
Select speakers (in order of appearance) + Speakers for 1st evening (Monday) of 2020 convention Speaker Position/notability Location Notes Cite Eva Longoria Actress and activist Los Angeles, California Emcee Bennie Thompson United States representative from Mississippi and permanent chairman of the convention Jackson, Mississippi Call to Order and Close of Order Gwen Moore United States representative from Wisconsin Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Muriel Bowser Mayor of the District of Columbia Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C. Jim Clyburn United States representative from South Carolina and House majority whip Charleston, South Carolina Andrew Cuomo Governor of New York Albany, New York Kristin Urquiza San Francisco, California Sara Gideon Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and U.S. Senate nominee from Maine Scarborough, Maine Introduction to performance by Maggie Rogers Gretchen Whitmer Governor of Michigan UAW Local 603 in Lansing, Michigan Christine Todd Whitman Former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and governor of New Jersey (Republican) New York, New York Meg Whitman Former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and Republican nominee for Governor of California in 2010 Sacramento, California Susan Molinari Former United States representative from New York (Republican) Sarasota, Florida John Kasich Former governor of Ohio (Republican); candidate for the 2000 and 2016 Republican presidential nominations Westerville, Ohio Doug Jones United States senator from Alabama Birmingham, Alabama Catherine Cortez Masto United States senator from Nevada; Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Las Vegas, Nevada Amy Klobuchar United States senator from Minnesota; candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination Saint Paul, Minnesota Cedric Richmond United States representative from Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana Bernie Sanders United States senator from Vermont; candidate for the 2016 and 2020 Democratic presidential nomination Burlington, Vermont Michelle Obama Former first lady of the United States Personal residence in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
Performances (in order of appearance) Leon Bridges performing "Sweetness" Maggie Rogers performing "Back In My Body" Billy Porter and Stephen Stills performing "For What It's Worth"
Selected film segments "The Path Forward": A Conversation with Vice President Biden on Racial Justice (featuring Joe Biden, Houston police chief Art Acevedo, activist Jamira Burley, activist Gwen Carr, NAACP president Derrick Johnson, and Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot) A Conversation with Healthcare Workers on the Front Lines (moderated by United States women's national soccer team member Megan Rapinoe) "United We Stand" (featuring Kamala Harris and former 2020 Democratic presidential candidates United States senator Cory Booker, United States senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Governor of Washington Jay Inslee, United States senator Amy Klobuchar, United States representative Seth Moulton, former United States representative Beto O'Rourke, businessman Tom Steyer, and businessman Andrew Yang)
Tuesday (August 18) evening program
The second night of the convention included official business, such as the nominating roll call for president.
9:00–11:00 p.m. EDT
Emcee: Tracee Ellis Ross
Theme "Leadership Matters"
Evening schedule Call to order by Mayor of Milwaukee Tom Barrett Credentials Committee Report James H. Roosevelt Lorraine Miller Rules Committee Report Barney Frank Maria Cardona Platform Committee Report Julie Chavez Rodriguez Denis McDonough Keynote address Main convention program (part 1) Nominations and roll call Main convention program (part 2)
Select speakers (in order of appearance) + Speakers for 2nd evening (Tuesday) of 2020 convention Speaker Position/notability Location Notes Cite Tom Barrett Mayor of Milwaukee Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Call to order The keynote address featured seventeen of the Democratic Party's "rising stars" from across the country. The speakers were former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives Stacey Abrams; Tennessee state senator Raumesh Akbari; United States representative Colin Allred of Texas; United States representative Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania; Nevada state senator Yvanna Cancela; former Ohio state representative Kathleen Clyde; Florida commissioner of agriculture Nikki Fried; Mayor of Long Beach, California Robert Garcia; Pennsylvania state representative Malcolm Kenyatta; South Carolina state senator Marlon Kimpson; United States representative Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, Michigan state representative Mari Manoogian; Texas state representative Victoria Neave; president of the Navajo Nation Jonathan Nez; Georgia state representative Sam Park; New Hampshire state representative Dennis Ruprecht; mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, Randall Woodfin Keynote address Tracee Ellis Ross Actress Los Angeles, California Emcee Sally Yates Former acting United States attorney general Atlanta, Georgia Chuck Schumer United States Senate minority leader Brooklyn, New York Caroline Kennedy Former ambassador to Japan and the daughter of former president John F. KennedyJoint remarks Jack Schlossberg Grandson of John F. Kennedy Jimmy Carter Former president of the United StatesJoint remarks (voice only, no video appearance) Rosalynn Carter Former first lady of the United States Bill Clinton Former president of the United States Chappaqua, New York Tom Perez Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Bob King Former president of the United Auto Workers Ann Arbor, Michigan Nominating speech for Bernie Sanders Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez United States representative from New York Washington, D.C. Seconding speech for Bernie Sanders Jacquelyn Asbie Security guard New York City Nominating speech for Joe Biden Chris Coons United States senator from Delaware Wilmington, Delaware Seconding speech for Joe Biden Lisa Blunt Rochester United States representative from Delaware Wilmington, Delaware Seconding speech for Joe Biden Ady Barkan Activist John Kerry Former secretary of state and the party's 2004 presidential nominee Boston, Massachusetts Colin Powell Former United States secretary of state (Republican) Washington, D.C. Jill Biden former second lady of the United States Brandywine High School in Wilmington, Delaware speech by spouse of the presidential nominee
Select film segments The Biden Plan: Healthcare (narrated by Jeff Bridges) A More Perfect Union: A Conversation on Healthcare (featuring Joe Biden, and health care activists Julie Buckholt, Steve Gomez, Jeff Jeans, Laura Packard, Angie Taylor) The Biden Plan: National Security An Unlikely Friendship (narrated in part by Cindy McCain, widow of the late Senator John McCain from Arizona) Teacher
Performances John Legend
Wednesday (August 19) evening program
9:00–11:00 p.m. EDT
Emcee: Kerry Washington
Theme "A More Perfect Union"
Sub-themes A More Perfect Society A More Perfect Economy
Evening schedule Prior to the evening program, the Democratic Governors Association hosted the panel "Bold Leadership: Women Governors Leading", which featured Oregon governor Kate Brown, Kansas governor Laura Kelly, New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Maine governor Janet Mills and Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, and was moderated by Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo. Introduction Call to Order by convention chair Bennie Thompson Pledge of Allegiance Main convention program Vice-presidential nomination Vice-presidential acceptance speech
Select speakers (in order of appearance) + Speakers for 3rd evening (Wednesday) of 2020 convention Speaker Position/notability Location Notes Cite Tony Evers Governor of Wisconsin Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Kamala Harris Democratic nominee for vice president of the United States, United States senator from California Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware Welcoming remarks Kerry Washington Actress Los Angeles, California Emcee Gabrielle Giffords Former United States representative from Arizona and a prominent gun control advocate Michelle Lujan Grisham Governor of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico Hillary Clinton Former first lady of the United States, former United States senator from New York, former United States secretary of state and the party's 2016 presidential nominee Chappaqua, New York Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the United States House of Representatives San Francisco, California Mariska Hargitay Actress and philanthropist New York City, New York Hilda Solis Member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and former United States secretary of labor Los Angeles, California Elizabeth Warren United States senator from Massachusetts; candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination Springfield, Massachusetts Barack Obama Former president of the United States Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Maya Harris Younger sister of thevice presidential nominee Nominating speech for Kamala Harris Meena Harris Niece of thevice presidential nominee Ella Emhoff Stepdaughter of thevice presidential nominee Kamala Harris Democratic nominee forvice president of the United States, United States senator from California Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware Vice-presidential nomination acceptance speech
Select film segments America Rising: March for Our Lives (featuring X González) The Biden Plan: Climate Change A Conversation with Young Climate Activists A Letter to Trump on Immigration America Rising: Immigrants Rebuilding America America Rising: From Women's Suffrage to the Women's March When You See Something Wrong America Recovering (featuring United States senator from Ohio Sherrod Brown, Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti, and United States congresswoman from Iowa Cindy Axne)
Performances Billie Eilish performing "My Future" Prince Royce performing "Stand by Me" Jennifer Hudson performing "A Change Is Gonna Come"
Thursday (August 20) evening program
9:00–11:00 p.m. EDT
Emcee: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Theme "America's Promise"
Evening schedule Call to Order by convention chair Bennie Thompson Remarks by Andrew Yang Introduction by Julia Louis-Dreyfus Pledge of Allegiance National anthem ("The Star-Spangled Banner") performed by The Chicks