A city bids farewell to Charles Rangel

City Hall fell silent as the late former Rep. Charles Rangel lay in state under the rotunda on Thursday morning. Mourners slowly began trickling in to pay their respects after the former Congress member’s casket was brought in for public viewing, closely guarded by uniformed personnel from the New York City Fire and Sanitation departments.

Rangel, one of the original Gang of Four along with David Dinkins, Basil Paterson and Percy Sutton, died on May 26 at the age of 94, marking the end of the historic Black political powerhouse in New York City. A wake was held Wednesday at Harlem’s St. Aloysius Church before Rangel’s casket was moved to City Hall that same day for a private viewing for his family. He was to lay in state under the rotunda until 5 p.m. Thursday. An honor guard ceremony was slated for 6 p.m., following the end of public viewing. 

Among the first to arrive to pay their respects Thursday morning was Mike Keogh, partner at Bolton-St. Johns, who came with three interns from his firm. Keogh, who had interacted with the longtime member of Congress through his consulting work, was left longing to hear the oft-times outspoken “Lion of Harlem” after stepping up to see the casket. Keogh had one word to describe his emotions of the moment, “sad,” and paused before he could continue speaking to City & State. “He had a great voice and it just made you feel like – even if he was upset with you – you got the sense that he was smiling. It was just so rich and so unique that you just hung on every word,” he said.

Keogh and the interns spent several minutes alone at the casket. “In politics, I think it's important to know, honor and learn about the people who came before you,” John Banks, one of the interns, said shortly after. 

Rangel joined other prominent politicians who also laid in state under the rotunda, including Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Henry Clay and Horace Greeley. The last person to lay in state was New York City Council Member James Davis, who had been shot dead in the Council chamber by a political opponent in 2003. “It was a terrible tragedy,” said Keogh, who worked for the Bloomberg administration at the time and had gone to see Davis when his casket was placed under the rotunda. Prior to Davis was Mayor John Purroy Mitchel, who lay in state after he died in an air corps training accident in 1918. 

Keogh said he wanted his interns to experience the rare moment.“I hope that they see the possibilities that they can make an impact, not just on themselves and their surroundings, but also to help our city, to help our state and to help your country,” he said. “It really starts with taking the first step and participating, and Charles Rangel was that. … He didn't squander that chance.”