The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Mourners, constituents pay last respects
BALTIMORE — Mourners, constituents and other wellwishers paid respects to U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings on Wednesday and a long line of speakers praised him as his body lay in repose at a historically black college in Baltimore ahead of the first in a series of services.
During an evening ceremony at Morgan State University, U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland told the hundreds of people gathered at Morgan State University on Wednesday that “America has lost the champion for social justice.”
Maryland House Speaker
Adrienne Jones says Cummings was Baltimore’s “consoler in chief ” after and helped reunite the city after civil unrest that followed Freddie Gray’s 2015 death in police custody.
A tan hearse with a U.S. House of Representatives seal carrying Cummings’ body had arrived Wednesday morning at Morgan State’s Murphy Fine Arts Center. A group of mourners led by Cummings’ widow, Maya Rockeymoore, followed pallbearers who wheeled the black casket with silver trimmings into the building.
A large group of people waiting in line began to file through.
Later in the day, fraternal organizations honored Cummings, calling him a “friend and companion to many” who was always willing to lend a helping hand to others.
The congressman’s widow closed his casket before the fraternal organizations began paying their respects.
Katrina Hutton, who lives in Baltimore, emerged from the viewing area with tears in her eyes.
“He’s always been there for us and supported us,” she said. “No scandal. He’s been forthright with everything he’s done for us.”
Flowers were laid outside the arts center, including an arrangement from the university’s president that included a note with the message, “Congressman Cummings was a great man and will be truly missed.”
The Maryland congressman and civil rights champion died Thursday at age 68 of complications from longstanding health issues.
Inside the auditorium, the open casket was placed in front of the auditorium stage, flanked by arrangements of white flowers. Two members of the Masonic group Knights Templar, one on each side of the casket, stood guard in dark uniforms with gold trim.
A large screen above the stage showed photos of Cummings along with portions of his news interviews and remarks in Congress.