Rep. Elijah Cummings of Baltimore passed away Thursday from complications related to what his office described as “long-standing health challenges.” He was 68 years old.
This is incredibly heartbreaking. Cummings had served in Congress since 1996. He grew up in Baltimore during the civil rights movement and as early as elementary school, he fought to integrate public pools. He was the first African American in Maryland history to be named Speaker Pro Tem of the Maryland House of Delegates, where he served for 14 years before being elected to Congress.
“Isn’t the place where they used to call us slaves? … When I think about you being sworn in, now I see what I could have been if I had an opportunity.”
Elijah Cummings on his father’s tears while being sworn into Congress. pic.twitter.com/FZ4veOc7YS
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) October 17, 2019
Cummings was a “father figure” and a “civil rights icon” who “left a mark” with his efforts to end segregation, said Matthew Hubbard, a West Baltimore barber. He mentioned Cummings in the same breath as such legendary civil rights figures as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Usually, we associate that long of a political career with complacency towards constituents. Not with Cummings. His wife, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings–who is also the chairwoman of Maryland’s Democratic Party–said in a statement (via AP), “He worked until his last breath because he believed our democracy was the highest and best expression of our collective humanity and that our nation’s diversity was our promise, not our problem.”
“I only have a minute,
60 seconds in it.
Forced upon me, I did not choose it.
But I know that I must use it.
Give account if I abuse it.
Suffer if I lose it.
Only a tiny little minute,
but eternity is in it.”
—a poem recited by Rep. Elijah Cummings, 1996 https://t.co/H9FAMCVa13 pic.twitter.com/ZlgViMYfNl— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) October 17, 2019
As Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Cummings has been a powerful force in leading the charge against Donald Trump. Over the last few months, Trump has angrily tweeted at or about Cummings nearly 20 times. This makes sense since Cummings had played a major role in the ongoing impeachment investigations.
Cummings fought Trump’s attempts to add a citizenship question to the census, he called out ethical violations among Trump’s staff and appointees, and he refused to ignore the horrific treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers in border camps. This is a great loss.
The American people have lost a great leader at a time of crisis in our democracy. Chairman Elijah Cummings gave all he had. He dedicated his entire life to serving the public good. https://t.co/g54fqjRaZH
— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) October 17, 2019
We lost a giant today. Congressman Elijah Cummings was a fearless leader, a protector of democracy, and a fighter for the people of Maryland. Our world is dimmer without him in it.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 17, 2019
The House has lost our North Star. Chairman Elijah Cummings was a leader of towering character & integrity. His wisdom, his warm friendship and his great humanity will be deeply missed. Rest in peace, my friend. https://t.co/WP0830KCkV pic.twitter.com/Hx8RFIWFPC
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) October 17, 2019
“Did you see him? Did you see him? Our children are living messages we send to a future we’ll never see. Now, our children are sending us to a future they’ll never see. Something is wrong.” Elijah Cummings at Freddie Gray’s funeral. American patriot. May he journey well. #RIPSir pic.twitter.com/vO07p9fdcF
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) October 17, 2019
Rest in Power, Elijah Cummings. pic.twitter.com/j9N9oIvH9O
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) October 17, 2019
Can I just say this about the “son of a sharecropper” descriptor that keeps showing up re #elijahcummings: That is now just a marker of his extraordinary achievement, but an absolute indictment of America. Sharecropping was slavery by another name – debt slavery. #NotLongAgo
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) October 17, 2019
Rep. Elijah Cummings was a giant who made time to be kind to me personally often. When I was starting out & a bit nervous, he would pull me aside, away from crowds, & talk to me about the latest news because he could tell I was just learning the ropes. I’ll miss his compassion. pic.twitter.com/sJhaiMuBzr
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) October 17, 2019
They will.
Thank you. https://t.co/IBdeh6tlyL
— Rachel R. Gonzalez (@RachelRGonzalez) October 17, 2019
The chairman’s seat belonging to the late Rep. Elijah Cummings has been draped in black https://t.co/K2dCL1xJE5 pic.twitter.com/rNufVYPbEV
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 17, 2019
(image: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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