Rest in Power, Elijah Cummings

Today, AFSCME Maryland Council 3, is in mourning at the loss of U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings who represented Maryland's 7th District including Baltimore City, County and Howard County who passed away on October 17th, 2019. He was first elected to that office in 1996 after serving in the Maryland House of Delegates for 14 years. Cummings was the first African American in Maryland history to be named Speaker Pro Tempore, the second highest position in the House of Delegates.

A longtime labor and civil rights leader, Cummings will be deeply missed. He was a passionate advocate and his leadership and integrity will continue to inspire generations to come. His wife, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, chairwoman of Maryland’s Democratic Party, said in a statement: “He worked until his last breath because he believed our democracy was the highest and best expression of our collective humanity and that our nation’s diversity was our promise, not our problem.”

On behalf of the 26,000 state and higher education employees representated by AFSCME Maryland we send our condolences to Dr. Rockeymore Cummings and the family and friends of Rep. Cummings. Rest in power, brother. We will continue to fight for economic and social justice for all in your honor.