John Conyers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Conyers
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| Dean of the United States House of Representatives | |
| In office January 3, 2015 – December 5, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | John Dingell |
| Succeeded by | Don Young |
| Chairperson of the House Judiciary Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Sensenbrenner |
| Succeeded by | Lamar Smith |
| Chairperson of the House Government Operations Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1989 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Jack Brooks |
| Succeeded by | Bill Clinger |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 13th district |
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| In office January 3, 2013 – December 5, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Hansen Clarke |
| Succeeded by | Brenda Jones |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 14th district |
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| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Dennis Hertel |
| Succeeded by | Gary Peters |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 1st district |
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| In office January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Lucien Nedzi |
| Succeeded by | Bart Stupak |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John James Conyers, Jr.
May 16, 1929 Highland Park, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | October 27, 2019 (aged 90) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Monica Esters (1990–2019; his death) |
| Children | John Carl |
| Alma mater | Wayne State University |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service | Army National Guard United States Army |
| Years of service | 1948–1950 1950–1957 |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
John James Conyers, Jr. (May 16, 1929 – October 27, 2019) was an American politician. He served as the U.S. Representative for Michigan's 13th district, serving in Congress from 1965 (the district was numbered as the 1st District until 1993, and as the 14th district from 1993 to 2013) until his resignation in 2017.
Early life, education, and early career
Conyers was born and raised in Detroit, the son of Lucille Janice (Simpson) and John James Conyers, a labor leader. Among his siblings was younger brother William Conyers. After graduating from Northwestern High School, Conyers served in the Michigan National Guard from 1948 to 1950; the U.S. Army from 1950 to 1954; and the U.S. Army Reserves from 1954 to 1957. Conyers served for a year in Korea during the Korean War as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was awarded combat and merit citations.
After his active military service, Conyers pursued a college education. He earned both his BA (1957) and LL.B. (1958) degrees from Wayne State University.
Career
After he was admitted to the bar, Conyers worked on the staff of Congressman John Dingell. He also served as counsel to several Detroit-area labor union locals. From 1961 to 1963, he was a referee for Michigan's workmen's compensation department.
Conyers became one of the leaders of the civil rights movement. He was present in Selma, Alabama, on October 7, 1963, for the voter registration drive known as Freedom Day.
Conyers served more than fifty years in Congress, becoming the sixth-longest serving member of Congress in U.S. history; he was the longest-serving African American member of Congress. Conyers was the Dean of the House of Representatives from 2015 to 2017, by virtue of him being the longest-serving member of Congress at the time. By the end of his last term, he was the last remaining member of Congress who had served since the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson.
After serving in the Korean War, Conyers became active in the civil rights movement. He also served as an aide to Congressman John Dingell before winning election to the House in 1964. He co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus in 1969 and established a reputation as one of the most liberal members of Congress. Conyers joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus after it was founded in 1991. Conyers supported creation of a single-payer healthcare system and sponsored the United States National Health Care Act. He also sponsored a bill to establish Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday, and was the first congressperson to introduce legislation in support of reparations for the descendants of African-American slavery.
Conyers ran for Mayor of Detroit in 1989 and 1993, but he was defeated in the primary each time.
Conyers served as the ranking Democratic member on the House Committee on the Judiciary from 1995 to 2007 and again from 2011 to 2017. He served as chairman of that committee from 2007 to 2011 and as Chairman of the House Oversight Committee from 1989 to 1995. Conyers announced his resignation from Congress on December 5, 2017.
Personal life
Conyers married Monica Esters, a teacher in Detroit, in 1990. They had two sons together, John James III and Carl Edward Conyers. She later served as a vice administrator of the public schools, and in 2005 was elected to the Detroit City Council.
Death
Conyers died at his home in Detroit on October 27, 2019, at the age of 90. His funeral was held on November 4 at Detroit's Greater Grace Temple.
Images for kids
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Conyers's official portrait
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Conyers at the All People's Congress in Detroit, 1981
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Conyers shaking hands with President Bill Clinton in 1993
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Conyers at an anti-war march in Newark, New Jersey, in 2007
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Conyers, (standing, second from right) with fellow founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971
