serviceyears branch death_date birth_date term_end alma_mater death_place preceded battles term_start spouse name resting_place succeeded birth_place party office state district religion article_title
1943-1945 united states army 24 august 1998 december 2 , 1922 june 3 , 1980 1954 university of michigan fisk university washington , d.c. george d. o'brien world war ii january 3 , 1955 1951 anna diggs taylor '' -lrb- divorced 1971 -rrb- '' charles diggs detroit memorial park george w. crockett , jr. . detroit , michigan democrat member district of the michigan state senate from the 3rd michigan 13th holiness charles diggs

charles diggs

charles coles diggs , jr. -lrb- december 2 , 1922 -- august 24 , 1998 -rrb- was an african-american politician from the u.s. state of michigan .
diggs was an early member of the civil rights movement .
he attended the trial of emmett till 's murderers , and was elected the first chairman of the congressional black caucus .
diggs resigned from the united states house of representatives and served 14 months of a three-year sentence for mail fraud , although he maintained his innocence .
he was the first african american elected to congress from michigan .
