John Conyers (1929–2019), longest-serving African American member of Congress in U.S. history

John Conyers was the longest-serving African American member of Congress in U.S. history. The former Democratic U.S. Representative from Michigan was a member of Congress from 1965 to 2017. During that time, he gained a reputation as a champion of civil rights and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. He sponsored a bill to establish as a federal holiday.