Rep. Charlie Rangel, the longtime Harlem congressmember who died last month, will lie in state at New York City Hall this week, ahead of his funeral Friday at Midtown’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, according to plans shared by the mayor’s office.
Rangel, who was born and raised in Harlem, died on May 26 at the age of 94. The Democrat served 46 years in the House of Representatives, making him one of the longest-tenured congressmembers ever, and was a cofounder of the Congressional Black Caucus as well as the first Black chair of the Ways and Means Committee. He retired from office in 2017 and became a statesman-in-residence at City College.
Known as the “Lion of Lenox Avenue,” Rangel was the last living member of Harlem’s storied “Gang of Four,” a coalition of Black lawmakers that included former Mayor David Dinkins; Basil Paterson, a former state senator and the father of ex-Gov. David Paterson; and Percy Sutton, a longtime business and political leader who had once been Malcolm X’s legal counsel.
After a public viewing Tuesday at St. Aloysius Church on West 132nd Street from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., including a 6:30 p.m. wake featuring remembrances by community leaders, Rangel’s body will be moved to City Hall on Wednesday afternoon. That evening, there will be a private viewing for his family.
Members of the public will again be able to pay their respects Thursday in the City Hall Rotunda from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mayor Eric Adams’ office said attendees must enter through City Hall’s East Gate and they will be required to pass through security.
That will be followed by an honor guard ceremony at 6 p.m. in which pallbearers will represent the 369th Regiment, also known as the Harlem Hellfighters, who are recognized as one of the most renowned units of Black combat troops in World War I. Rangel was a veteran of the Korean War who earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
On Friday, Rangel’s body will be moved to St. Patrick’s for a public funeral, which will start at 9:45 a.m. Members of the public should arrive by 9 a.m., and the service will be livestreamed, Adams’ office said.
“I am honored to host the family of Congressman Rangel as he lies in state here at City Hall, but I am also deeply saddened to say goodbye to a dear friend and an exemplary model of devotion and courage,” Adams said in a statement. “Rest in power, my friend.”
Additional information about the services for Rangel, including security protocols, is available on the mayor’s office’s website.