Former U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, a gravel-voiced Harlem Democrat and founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, died Monday at 94, according to the Associated Press.
A Korean War veteran, Rangel unseated Adam Clayton Powell Jr. in 1970 and served nearly five decades in Congress.
He became the first Black chair of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee in 2007, but was later censured over ethics violations.
Rangel was known for his fierce opposition to the Iraq War and sharp verbal clashes with figures such as Dick Cheney.
As one of New York’s influential “Gang of Four,” he championed economic empowerment and affordable housing.
Rangel retired in 2017, leaving a lasting legacy in both Harlem and Washington.
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