Representative Elijah Cummings Passes Away at 68
By Angela Hickey
Many students mourn the death of government official Elijah Cummings, the Representative from Baltimore, Maryland, who died early in the morning on October 17th, 2019 at the age of 68.
Cummings was an American politician and member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Maryland’s 7th congressional district. Cummings was born on January 18, 1951, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was one of seven children of sharecroppers Robert and Ruth Cummings, and rose to power as a Democrat in Congress. Cummings graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Howard University in Washington, D.C. where he was student government president with a degree in political science. He earned a law degree from the University of Maryland and was a practicing lawyer while serving for 14 years in the Maryland House of Delegates, where he was the first African-American in the state’s history to be named speaker pro tem.
Cummings officially ran for his first seat in the Senate in a special election in 1996. In order to fill the seat left by Kweisi Mfume, who had resigned to become president of the N.A.A.C.P., Cummings defeated more than two dozen competitors in the primary and quickly succeeded in gaining the coveted seat.
Eventually, Cummings spoke out on many controversial topics such as gun control and police brutality against African-American citizens. Cummings soon rose through the ranks of the Oversight Committee and eventually became its top Democrat. In 2019, after Democrats took control of the House, he ascended to the chairmanship, a role that gave him wide latitude.
One of the more highlighted achievements Cummings was known for, especially recently, was his involvement as a pivotal force in the proceedings to impeach Trump. The two were known to have gotten off on the wrong foot, and Cummings was not afraid to shy away from how he truly felt about the president.
As his health kept him away from Washington in recent months, Cummings remained involved in the impeachment inquiry into Trump while remaining as a close ally to Nancy Pelosi. Those close to him said that he joined strategy calls with Ms. Pelosi and other chairmen, and signed subpoenas from his hospital bed.
Even in the Capitol, members of both parties shared their condolences to the friends and family of Cummings. The New York Times, got a chance to interview Representative Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader, while on the House floor.
“I can’t tell you how many friends would call me and be in fear because they got a letter from Cummings, but he was a man of fairness,” said McCarthy to the Times.
Catholic University students are also impacted by the death of this political leader. The College Democrats have especially spoken out with their condolences.
“Elijah Cummings, the son of sharecroppers who grew up to be a civil rights activist and tireless public servant, was a passionate fighter for his constituents and all Americans in the halls of congress,” a statement from the College Democrats states. “Congressman Cummings was an inspiring figure and a true leader in our nation. The Catholic University of America College Democrats join the countless Americans mourning his passing.”
The wake will begin at 8 a.m. Friday, October 25th at New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, MD, followed by the funeral at 10 a.m.
