The NAACP mourns the passing of former Congressman John Conyers, a pioneering member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the longest-serving African American House member in congressional history.
The NAACP has lost a life-long friend, and the nation has lost a fervent champion for equal justice. Rep. Conyers served for five decades in Congress and was widely known as the Dean of the House. Elected in 1964, Rep. Conyers was an unmovable force when it came to advancing equality and civil rights.
Throughout his decorated tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, he shepherded every significant civil rights law passed by the House of Representatives, including introducing the original bill to make Martin Luther King Jr. day a federal holiday. From 1969 to 1995, he chaired the House Oversight Committee and In 2007 became the first African-American to serve as Chair of the House Judiciary Committee. In that same year, he received the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP for his tireless dedication in the fight for justice.
His life-long career of pushing this nation toward justice, fairness, and liberty left an indelible impression on the world. The NAACP extends our sincere condolences to his family and sends prayers of comfort and strength for the days to come.
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