WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07) announced the introduction of a congressional resolution to honor the life and legacy of his successor, predecessor, and dear friend, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, by requesting the issuance of a United States Postal Service (USPS) commemorative stamp.
“Working in conjunction with Elijah’s family, I am honored to introduce this legislation. I wanted to make sure that Elijah would be remembered and his work would not be forgotten. I am encouraged by the vast amount of support this effort has already received from those who knew Elijah or appreciate his legacy,” said Congressman Mfume.
“Dad would have been 72 tomorrow. While our family remains heartbroken he is no longer here with us, we have great pride in his congressional leadership, strong advocacy on behalf of the American people and efforts toward bipartisan consensus whenever agreement could be achieved. Those efforts were both exemplary and legendary. It is our family’s strong belief that his legacy is worthy of both national reflection and commemoration," said Jennifer and Adia Cummings, daughters of the late-Congressman Elijah Cummings. “We thank Congressman Mfume, who was a dear friend of our father, for introducing this resolution today asking that the United States Postal Service issue a stamp and honor Congressman Cummings’ phenomenal legacy,” they concluded.
Upon introduction, the bill has 49 original cosponsors in the United States House of Representatives.
The Life of Congressman Elijah E. Cummings
Congressman Cummings was born in Baltimore on January 18, 1951. His father worked at a chemical factory and his mother worked at a pickle factory and later as a maid while raising seven children. Both parents came from Southern sharecropping families.
Elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1982, Mr. Cummings became the youngest Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus and the first African American elected speaker pro tem by the body, a permanent role in the Maryland House.
In 1996, Mr. Cummings won the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives that Congressman Mfume vacated to become NAACP president, starting a 23-year career in Congress during which he advocated for all people, including lower-income and working-class Americans.
Congressman Cummings became Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus in 2002, where he pushed to increase funding for public education and the Head Start program.
As Ranking Member and then Chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Mr. Cummings spearheaded much of the impeachment inquiry of former President Trump, and led probes relating to Trump’s family members serving in the White House.
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