In New York City, mourners gathered to honor the memory of former U.S. Representative Charles Rangel as his body was placed in state at City Hall on Thursday. This tribute is a rare distinction traditionally reserved for prominent political figures, such as Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.
Rangel, a fervent and familiar voice in politics, passed away on May 26 in a New York hospital at the age of 94. Known as the “Lion of Lenox Avenue,” Rangel dedicated nearly 50 years of his life to serving on Capitol Hill and was an integral part of the Congressional Black Caucus from its inception.
A funeral service is scheduled for Friday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown Manhattan. Earlier, a wake was held on Tuesday at a church in Harlem, the neighborhood where Rangel was born and spent his formative years.
His casket, draped with an American flag, was brought to City Hall on Wednesday for a private viewing by family members in the historic building, which is located near the Brooklyn Bridge in Lower Manhattan. On Thursday morning, the dignitary’s casket was placed in the marbled rotunda of City Hall, with uniformed police officers standing in solemn attention on either side.
Mourners began arriving as City Hall opened to pay respects amidst the usual city hustle and bustle. Among those who appeared was Mike Keogh, a former city council staffer and lobbyist, who fondly remembered Rangel’s distinct and engaging presence in New York politics. “He had the greatest voice,” Keogh reminisced.
Tina Marie, a Harlem native, recalled Rangel’s pivotal role in the neighborhood’s political history, being part of the renowned “Gang of Four,” which included figures like David Dinkins, Percy Sutton, and Basil Paterson. She expressed her desire to pay respects, acknowledging the group’s contributions despite not always agreeing with their decisions.
City Hall has granted this honor after death to notable figures such as statesman Henry Clay and newspaper publisher Horace Greeley among others. The most recent person honored in this manner was City Councilman James Davis in 2003.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, the public was invited to pay their respects to Rangel. An honor guard ceremony is scheduled to occur afterward, featuring members of the 369th Regiment, famously known as the Harlem Hellfighters.
Friday’s funeral service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral will be open to the public and broadcasted live, offering an opportunity for broader participation in honoring Rangel’s legacy.
Rangel began his political career by defeating the legendary Adam Clayton Powell in 1970, eventually rising to become the dean of the New York congressional delegation. He became the first African American to chair the powerful Ways and Means Committee in 2007 but was later censured due to an ethics scandal.
Even after stepping down from his position on the committee, Rangel continued to serve until his retirement in 2017, marking his tenure as one of the longest in the chamber’s history. Upon his passing, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries described him as a “patriot, hero, statesman, leader, trailblazer, change agent, and champion for justice.”