Charles Rangel, History-Making Congressman And Harlem Champion, Dies At 94 – Essence
Charles Rangel, a history-making former New York congressman who spent nearly five decades fighting for his community on Capitol Hill, died on Monday. He was 94 years old.
Rangel’s death was confirmed in a statement from the City College of New York.
Born and raised in Harlem, Rangel’s path was far from traditional. After serving in the Korean War, he returned home and took advantage of the G.I. Bill to further his education, earning degrees from New York University and St. John’s University School of Law. In 1970, he made history by unseating the legendary Adam Clayton Powell Jr., marking the beginning of a congressional career that would span generations.
His deep roots in Harlem helped him become a voice for Black New Yorkers at a time when few were heard on the national stage. His district, established in the 1940s to ensure Harlem’s Black residents had a voice in Congress, became both the foundation of Rangel’s political influence and a source of deep community pride.
Over the decades, Rangel became a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, the dean of New York’s congressional delegation, and in 2007, the first Black chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.
“Charlie Rangel was a great man, a great friend, and someone who never stopped fighting for his constituents and the best of America,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on x. “The list of his accomplishments could take pages, but he leaves the world a much better place than he found it.”
He was also known as the “Lion of Lenox Avenue,” a nickname that reflected both his political strength and his Harlem swagger. New York Mayor Eric Adams called him “a dear friend and exemplary model of devotion and courage,” while Rev. Al Sharpton remembered him as “a trailblazing legislator and an unshakable force in American politics.”
Rangel’s influence was undeniable. He championed key legislation like the National Empowerment Zone program and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. In total, he sponsored 40 bills and resolutions that became law.
But his career wasn’t without controversy. In 2010, ethics violations—including failing to disclose income and improperly using official resources—led to a censure by the House. Rangel stepped down from his chairmanship but continued to stand by his decades of public service.
“I know in my heart I am not going to be judged by this Congress,” he told colleagues. “I’ll be judged by my life in its entirety.”And he wasn’t ready to quit. He won reelection in 2012 and continued to serve Harlem until his retirement in 2017.
In a 2009 interview with Time, Rangel showed his trademark candor when asked about his legacy: “Well, as Rhett Butler once said in Gone With the Wind, if I’m gone, quite frankly, I don’t give a damn.”
By the time he left office, Rangel had become the last surviving member of New York’s legendary “Gang of Four”—a group of Black political trailblazers that included David Dinkins, Percy Sutton, and Basil Paterson.
Rangel’s wife, Alma—whom he met in a Harlem ballroom in the 1950s—died in 2024. He is survived by their two children.
“His legacy is one of tireless advocacy, historic firsts, and dedication to justice and equality,” said the Congressional Black Caucus. “May he rest in power and everlasting peace.”
