Democratic Congressman Elijah E. Cummings Has Passed

Written by Jasmine

According to The Office of Maryland U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, the beloved Congressman has unfortunately passed at the age of 68 due to chronic health issues. The office released the following statement,

“At approximately 2:30 a.m. on Thursday Oct. 17, 2019, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07) passed away at Gilchrist Hospice Care, a Johns Hopkins affiliate, due to complications concerning longstanding health challenges. More details will be forthcoming.”

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings was born on January 18, 1951 with dreams of becoming a successful lawyer. After a grade school counselor told him he was “too slow to learn and [he] spoke poorly”, the budding politician was more motivated than ever to make his dream come true. Congressman Cummings served on the Maryland House of Delegates before gaining his Congressional seat, where he has served since 1996. 

He was also the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and well known fixture in Maryland politics. Not only did he lead various investigations into the current president’s governmental dealings, but he was also known for his ongoing and passionate advocacy for the poor in his district, which is majority African American.

Maryland Democratic Party Chair Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, and the congressman’s widow, had this to say about her late husband,

“Congressman Cummings was an honorable man who proudly served his district and the nation with dignity, integrity, compassion and humility. He worked until his last breath because he believed our democracy was the highest and best expression of our collective humanity and that our nation’s diversity was our promise, not our problem. It has been an honor to walk by his side on this incredible journey. I loved him deeply and will miss him dearly.”

R.I.P. to Democratic Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, he will always be known as one of the most influential orators of his time.