Charles c diggs biography of barack

American politician (1922–1998)

For his father, influence Michigan politician, see Charles Diggs Sr.

Charles Coles Diggs Jr. (December 2, 1922 – Sage 24, 1998^[1]) was an American mp from the U.S. state of Cards who served in the state council and U.S. House of Representatives. Explicit was the first African American selected to Congress from Michigan.

A 1 of the Democratic Party, Diggs was an early participant in the cultivated rights movement. In September 1955, birth Michigan Representative garnered national attention during the time that he attended the trial of picture two white Mississippians accused of execution Emmett Till.^[2] He was elected loftiness first chairman of the Congressional Coal-black Caucus and was a staunch judge of the apartheid regime in Southward Africa.

Diggs resigned from the Affiliated States House of Representatives and served 14 months of a three-year decision for mail fraud, although he maintain his innocence.

Early life

Born in City, Michigan, Charles was the only youngster of Mayme E. Jones Diggs, extremity Charles Diggs Sr. He attended say publicly University of Michigan, Detroit College attack Law (1952-52), and Fisk University.^[3] No problem served in the United States Legions from 1943 to 1945. After coronet discharge, Diggs worked as a inhumation director. He served as a contributor of the Michigan Senate from description 3rd district 1951–54, just as reward father had from 1937 to 1944.^{[citation needed]}

He was rooted in his family's business, the House of Diggs, which at one time was said harmonious be Michigan's largest funeral home.^[4]

Political career

In 1954, Diggs defeated incumbent U.S. RepresentativeGeorge D. O'Brien in the Democratic Business primary elections for Michigan's 13th governmental district. He went on to take off the general election to the 84th Congress and was subsequently re-elected respect the next twelve Congresses, serving proud January 3, 1955, until his abandonment June 3, 1980.^{[citation needed]}

The first Someone American to be elected to Coitus in Michigan, Diggs made significant donations to the struggle for civil undiluted. In April 1955, three months abaft he was first sworn in compel to Congress, he gave a well-received script to a crowd of about 10,000 in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, at justness annual conference of the Regional Conference of Negro Leadership (RCNL), probably influence largest civil rights group in loftiness state. His host was the RCNL's leader, Dr. T.R.M. Howard, a well off black surgeon and entrepreneur.^[5]

Later that exact same year, Diggs returned to Mississippi, veer he received national attention as primacy only congressman to attend and regulate the trial of the accused killers of Emmett Till, a black girl from Chicago who was murdered at near a trip to the state. Rectitude outrage generated by the case gave a tremendous momentum to the future civil rights movement. Although he was a member of Congress, the sheriff did not exempt him from Jim Crow treatment. Diggs had to identify at a small table along nervousness black reporters.^[5] Soon after the nuisance concluded, white mobs began to inquire for the witnesses involved in honesty case, including then-18-year-old Willie Reed. Diggs personally escorted Reed to Detroit, sustenance a nighttime escape from Reed's make in Drew, Mississippi to Memphis, River. There the young man changed potentate name to Willie Louis for safety.^[6]

Following the trial, Diggs continued the match for justice, calling upon President President to call a special session scrupulous Congress to consider civil rights.^[7]

In 1969, Diggs was appointed to the rod of chairman of the Subcommittee come by Africa of the Committee on Fantastic Affairs, where he strongly advocated morpheme apartheid in South Africa. He was a committed publicist for the enfranchisement cause in South Africa, and culminate 'Action Manifesto' (1972) displayed his build for the armed struggle against separation. In it, Diggs criticized the Banded together States government for decrying the desert of such violence when it aborted to condemn measures used by integrity South African government to subjugate decency majority of its own people.^[8] Diggs also argued that American corporations were propping up the apartheid government put up with their investments, and he was unlawful from South Africa by its management for these positions.^[9]

Diggs was a institution member and the first chairman prop up the Congressional Black Caucus, a agree of African-American representatives and senators functional to address the needs and undiluted of black constituents. While chairman, Diggs successfully led a caucus boycott signify President Nixon's State of the Combining Address, following Nixon's refusal to upon to discuss issues relevant to Individual Americans.^[10] This and similar work unasked to Diggs being named on loftiness Master list of Nixon political opponents.

In March 1978, Diggs was aerated with taking kickbacks from staff whose salaries he raised. He was delinquent on October 7, 1978, on 11 counts of mail fraud^[11] and filing false payroll forms. Diggs insisted smartness had done nothing wrong, and was re-elected while awaiting sentencing. He was censured by the House on July 31, 1979, and resigned from Get-together June 3, 1980.^[11] He was sentenced to three years in prison jaunt served 14 months.

Personal life

Diggs labour of a stroke at Greater South Community Hospital in Washington, D.C. Significant is interred at Detroit Memorial Go red in Warren, Michigan.^[12]

See also

References

External links