Former Democratic Michigan Rep. John Conyers died Sunday at 90 in his sleep.
Conyers’s son, John Conyers III, told PBS his father’s death is “part of the cycle of life.”
The son of former Rep Conyers tells me that the family will be releasing a statement shortly. “This is part of the cycle of life,” John Conyers III told me.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) October 27, 2019
The former congressman represented his district in Michigan for more than 50 years. He was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the longest serving black legislator in U.S. history.
Throughout his decades in the House, Conyers rose in rank throughout the Democratic Party to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
Conyers earned the nickname “the Dean,” after serving as dean of the House of Representatives for being the longest serving member while in Congress, a position currently held by Republican Alaska Rep. Don Young.
One of his most famous legislative achievements was marking the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. a federal holiday.
Beyond his time in Congress, Conyers was a Korean War veteran and a civil rights activist.
He left office amid accusations of sexual harassment. Conyers denied the accusations against him, saying in his resignation, “They are not accurate or they aren’t true.”
When Conyers resigned, he noted that his greatest legacy was his family.
He endorsed his son to fill his seat upon his retirement, saying, “My legacy will continue through my children. I have a great family here, and especially in my oldest boy, John Conyers III, who incidentally I endorsed to replace me in my seat in Congress.”
Conyers III did not end up replacing his father after being disqualified from appearing on the ballot. Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib currently holds Conyers’s seat.
