Overview
- Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul and former President Bill Clinton joined family and residents in attending the 9:45 a.m. mass.
- Former President Bill Clinton and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delivered eulogies highlighting Rangel’s founding of the Congressional Black Caucus and his groundbreaking tenure as the first Black chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.
- Speakers also paid tribute to Rangel’s service in the Korean War, where he earned the Bronze Medal and the Purple Heart before embarking on his political career.
- Rangel’s body lay in state at New York City Hall from June 11 to 13, a rare honor previously reserved for presidents and select dignitaries such as Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.
- Community leaders remembered his nearly 50 years in Congress, praising his tireless advocacy for Harlem and his continuation of service following a 2010 House censure until his retirement in 2017.