Legislator Details


Charles Coles Diggs Jr.
AKA:
Number of sessions served 2
Sessions served
Gender: Male
Age at election: 29

Vital Records Information:

Birth
Date: 12/2/1922
City: Detroit, MI
County: Wayne
Country: US
 
Death
Date: 8/24/1998
City: Washington, DC
County:
Country: US
Type of Burial: interred
Burial
Date:
City: Warren, MI
County: Wayne County, MI
Country: US
Cemetery: Detroit Memorial Park

Marital Information:

Number of Children: 3

Background

Religion: Calvary Baptist Church
Military Service: United States Army Air Corps
Occupation: mortician, insurance
Race: African American or Negro or Black

Education:
graduated from Miller High School, Detroit, 1940; attended University of Michigan, 1940-1942; attended Fiske University, Nashville, TN 9/1942-2/1943; After WWII enrolled in Wayne College of Wayne College of Mortuary Science, Detroit; graduated 1946; attended Detroit College of Law, 1951.

Biographical Sketch:
Entered army as a pvt. & left as a lt. Died of a stroke at Greater Southwest Community Hospital in D.C. Son of former Senator Charles C. Diggs

Notable Facts:
Elect.4/1951 to fill a vacancy. 1st Afr.Amer. man elect. to MI Sen., 1951 (father elected 1950; denied seat due to bribery conviction) Elected to Congress serving 1955-80; 1st MI Afr.Amer. Congressman. Founder, 1st chair of the Congr. Black Caucus 1969-71. Charged 1978 with taking kickbacks from staff whose salaries he raised; convicted, 10/7/1978, 11 counts mail fraud & filing false payroll forms; re-elected while awaiting sentencing; censured 7/31/1979; sentenced to 3 yrs in prison, served 14 months.

Sessions Served:

Sixty-Seventh Legislature, 1953-1954
Chamber: Senate
Party: Democratic
Committees Served On: Agriculture , Corporations, Retirement
Postions Held:

City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District: 3
District Description: City of Detroit wards 3, 5, 7; City of Hamtramck

Date Elected: 11/4/1952
Date Sworn In: 1/14/1953
Date Left Office:

Reason for Leaving Office: Chose not to run
End of Term Status: Departed

Maritial Status: Married
Notes: Became a US Representative in 1955.
Sixty-Sixth Legislature, 1951-1952
Chamber: Senate
Party: Democratic
Committees Served On:
Postions Held:

City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District: 3
District Description: Detroit wards 3, 5 and 7 and Hamtramack city

Date Elected: 4/2/1951
Date Sworn In: 4/16/1951
Date Left Office:

Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected

Maritial Status: Married
Notes: Elected in a special election April 2, 1951 to fill a vacancy.

Bibliography:

AlWoMin2002 p.328; CongBio p.943; PolGryd; Manual 1951 p.276; 1951 SJ p.627
View Bibliographical Sources