Cummings’ papers to go to Howard
Washington alma mater receiving artifacts from former congressman’s life
WASHINGTON — The vestiges of his long legislative career remain in his Capitol Hill office four weeks after his death: dozens of framed photographs and awards on the wall, position papers and letters amassed during 24 years in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Elijah Cummings’ widow told The Baltimore Sun that the artifacts would soon be bestowed to Howard University, his alma mater. They include various documents he authored; photos of himself with antiapartheid icon Nelson Mandela, pathbreaking boxer Muhammad Ali and civil rights activist Coretta Scott King; office signs bearing his name; and a collection of U.S. postal stamps honoring African American leaders.
Still to be determined is what exactly is to be carted away and which of the Baltimore Democrat’s papers involve information too sensitive to become public.
Cummings, who had a rare form of cancer called thymic carcinoma when he died Oct. 17 at 68, was chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, one of three committees leading the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.
The congressman’s widow, MayaRockeymoore Cummings — who this week joined a large field running to succeed him in the House — met recently with Cheryl Johnson, the clerk of the House, to discuss the process for distinguishing his personal collection from items that must be left at the Capitol.
“She said the only sensitivity comes in with regard to Elijah’s paperwork,” Rockeymoore Cummings wrote in a Nov. 4 email to members of the congressional district’s staff. “She said that any papers that are part of his personal office work can go into his personal paper collection with no problem but that there will have to be a painstaking review process to ensure that his committee papers — particularly those that involved sensitive information — are not included without authorization.”
She said that she has been in touch “with the people who help offices conduct the process of categorizing/classifying Elijah’s papers and belongings. To the extent possible, I want to be involved in this process to help ensure everything goes as it should.”
Under federal law and House rules, the House clerk — who was not available Thursday for comment — is the supervisor of the congressional office while it remains vacant. A special primary election is scheduled for Feb. 4 with a general election April 28 to fill the remainder of Cummings’ term.
Cummings graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1973 from Howard — in Washington, D.C. — where he was student association president. He then attended law school at the University of Maryland.
A Howard spokesperson said Wednesday that details of when and how Cummings’ documents will be displayed are still being decided.
On Nov. 25, the university will host an event to honor Cummings. It is calling it “Howard University’s Tribute to U.S. Representative Elijah E. Cummings: A Champion for Democracy and Civic Engagement.