Former U.S. Congressman Charles B. Rangel, dies at 94

Charles Bernard Rangel, the former congressman from Harlem and the last remaining founder of the Congressional Black Caucus, has died at age 94.

Rangel passed away on Monday, May 26, Memorial Day, surrounded by family. He was a native of Harlem, and the lone surviving member of the legendary Gang of Four. He took his reputation as the “Lion of Lenox Avenue” to the House of Representatives in 1971 after defeating the renowned Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. The apogee of his tenure in Congress was in 2007 when he became chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

“Throughout his career, Congressman Rangel fought tirelessly for affordable housing, urban revitalization, fair tax policies, and equal opportunities for all Americans,” his family said in a statement.

In his autobiography, Rangel claimed he never had a bad day since he survived an attack by the Chinese and the North Korean armies when he served in the Korean War, “but it doesn’t mean I haven’t had some heartbreaking experiences,” he wrote, particularly noting the loss of his brother. “Setbacks I’ve had; but bad days, no.”

“Charlie was a transformative leader, he used his political position to elevate the people he represented. He was accessible and always available to anyone who came to him for assistance.  He demonstrated that political figures could be honorable and serve as great examples for young people to follow. From Harlem, he made his mark on the country. He will always be remembered as a warrior for justice and equality,” said H. Carl McCall, former New York State comptroller and senator, in a statement to the AmNews.

“It is sadly appropriate that my close friend and mentor ‘The Lion Of Lenox Avenue,’ the great Charles B. Rangel would transition on Memorial Day,” said Lloyd Williams, president and CEO of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce (GHCC). “Rangel was a true American hero, having been awarded the prestigious Purple Heart when fighting for our country during the Korean War in the 1950s. Rangel will definitely go down in history as one of the most important and effective members of Congress. He will truly be missed internationally, nationwide, throughout New York, but especially in his beloved Harlem where ‘he was the man.’”

Former New York State Assembly member Keith Wright told the AmNews that Rangel was a “political genius and a personal role model. The Harlem community, the state and the nation are fortunate to have had Charlie Rangel in our lives. His legacy is cemented in perpetuity.”

During an interview with The HistoryMakers in 2018, Rangel recounted his years coming of age on the streets of Harlem. “I came up from nothing,” he said. “I was a fatherless high school dropout with a gift of living by my wits and hiding my inadequacies behind bravado.” At the age of 22, he said, “I was pushing a hand truck in the gutters of New York’s garment district for a living. …Yet somehow, by age 30, I had acquired three degrees in six years, and was a newly minted lawyer admitted to the New York Bar.”

Rangel was born on June 11, 1930, in Harlem. Raised by his mother, grandfather and his uncle Herbert, he attended P.S. 89, Junior High School 139, and later DeWitt Clinton High School, where he did well as a student. After dropping out of high school, he enlisted in the Army. He served during the Korean War. Seriously wounded in combat, he received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

“My heart is broken by the passing of a lion of Harlem today,” Rev. Al Shapton said in a statement. “I met Charlie Rangel as a teenager and we formed a bond that lasted over 50 years. Charlie was a true activist—we’ve marched together, been arrested together and painted crack houses together. After surviving the horrors of the Korean War, he made every day of his life count—whether it was coming home to get a law degree or becoming a fixture on the House of Representatives.”

This story first appeared in the Amsterdam News.