Former Rep. John Conyers dies at 90

Former Michigan Rep. John Conyers, the longest-serving African American in congressional history, died Sunday in Detroit, a family spokesperson confirmed. He was 90.

A Democrat, Conyers was first elected in 1964. He was a vocal critic of the Vietnam and Iraq Wars, and was known for being one of the most liberal members of Congress. He also was a founder of the Black Congressional Caucus in 1971, and served on the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment inquiries against former Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.

In the wake of the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he began his push to have a national holiday in King's honor, and in the 1970s, called for single-payer health insurance and banning private ownership of guns, spurred by assassination attempts against former President Gerald Ford. During the 1980s, Conyers worked to ensure police officers and firefighters who died while on the job received more federal death benefits.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

In 2017, he resigned from Congress, after two women accused him of making unwanted sexual advances; Conyers denied the allegations. He is survived by his wife, Monica, and sons John and Carl.