Written by Lexx Thornton
Charles Bernard Rangel was an American politician who was a U.S. representative for districts in New York City for 46 years.
Rangel’s death was announced by the City College of New York, where after retiring from Congress in 2017 he served as Statesman-in-Residence and launched the Charles B. Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Initiative to boost infrastructure jobs in areas of Manhattan and the Bronx that he called home.
As a trailblazing member of the Democratic Party, he was the second-longest-serving incumbent member of the House of Representatives at the time of his retirement in 2017, having served continuously since 1971.
Rangel broke racial barriers by becoming chairman of one of the most powerful committees in Congress in 2007. The committee oversees taxation, tariffs, and other revenue-raising measures. He helped establish this influential group in 1971 to promote the legislative concerns of African Americans and advocate for social justice and equality.
Before his political career, Rangel was a decorated war hero, earning a Bronze Star and Purple Heart during the Korean War. He used his experience to advocate for veterans’ rights and better support for those returning from combat.