I don’t know about you, but I find myself thinking about Charlie Rangel and David Dinkins quite a bit these days. I wonder how Representative Rangel would have whipped members of the Democratic caucus together in this political moment. Would he use his skills of diplomacy and deep knowledge of Congress to help curb the tide of some of the Draconian policies coming out of Washington? I wonder what advice he would give Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer in this moment as well. I am curious as to how Mayor Dinkins would have handled conversations pertaining to ICE in cities, considering he had to deal with Giuliani’s harassment throughout his tenure as mayor. Sigh, it seems as though we progress and regress constantly in this country.
For me to stay sane and strategize and help lead others through this particular political nadir, I find myself reading about past civil rights leaders and the strategies they employed, the coalitions they built, and the obstacles they overcame. My colleague, political science Professor Marion Orr has just published a new book, “House of Diggs: The Rise and Fall of America’s Most Consequential Black Congressman, Charles C. Diggs, Jr.” (University of North Carolina Press, 2025), the first biography of Michigan’s first Black Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Along with Congressman Rangel, he helped found the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), a caucus that continues to serve as the moral compass of Congress. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and as we see the threats currently faced by the district from the hands of the executive branch, we realize his efforts were a necessary implementation of protection for millions of Black residents, past and present.
As Professor Orr details, Congressman Diggs was the consummate power broker with a political career spanning from 1951 to 1980. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs’ rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, Professor Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. The concept of strategic moderation is something some might say politicians like Hakeem Jeffries or Cory Booker practice, much to the frustration of some Black Democratic voters. In “House of Diggs”, Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell.
At this incredibly trying and sometimes frightening moment in American politics, it is imperative that we learn from the triumphs (and mistakes) of the leaders who came before us. Learning more about the leadership style of Congressman Diggs makes me want to know more about all of the founders of the CBC and their efforts—and bravery.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.