Published 02:14 IST, November 6th 2019
Bill Clinton honours former US Rep. John Conyers at funeral in Detroit
At the Funeral of the former US Rep. John Conyers, who died at the age of 90, Bill Clinton was among the many speakers at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit.
At the Funeral of the former US Rep. John Conyers, Bill Clinton was among the many speakers at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit. The former President while addressing the crowd said that Conyers not only represented people in his district but those around the country and even around the world on the things everyone should care about. Along with Clinton, civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer were among the speakers at the funeral.
Clinton started his speech by thanking the crowd for electing Conyers' for 27 times. He added, “I’d like to thank you for giving him space and support not just to represent his district but to represent people across the country and even around the world on the things we should all care about.”
“He was out there banging the drum against apartheid in South Africa long before it was a widely popular cause,” Clinton added. “He always supported the people of Haiti even when he couldn’t support their government. He worked for all of our cities and jobs and employment and opportunity and peace and justice everywhere. Not every district gives their elected representative the elbow room to do all those things.”
Apart from speakers at the funeral, Conyers was also condoled by many celebrities and politicians on Twitter.
US Rep. John Conyers
John Conyers was one of the longest-serving members of the Congress and was known as the Congressional Black Caucus. He died at the age of 90 on October 27 at his home in Detroit. He was first elected in 1964 and became one of only six black House members when he won his election by just 108 votes. Throughout his career, he used his influence to push civil rights and after a 15-year fight, he won passage of legislation declaring Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a national holiday.
(With AP inputs)
Updated 02:14 IST, November 6th 2019