Unsung History Podcast: Charles C. Diggs, Jr.

Host: Kelly Therese Pollack
Guest: Dr. Marion Orr (Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy & Political Science, Brown University; Author of "House of Diggs: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Consequential Black Congressman, Charles C. Diggs, Jr.")
Date: January 12, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Unsung History shines a light on Charles C. Diggs, Jr., a pivotal but often overlooked figure in American political history. Host Kelly Therese Pollack discusses Diggs's life, legacy, and remarkable influence with Dr. Marion Orr, whose new biography aims to restore Diggs’s place in history. Together, they explore Diggs’s upbringing, legislative style, role in civil rights, anti-apartheid work, formation of the Congressional Black Caucus, and eventual downfall.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Diggs’s Early Life and Political Ascent

• Background: Born in Detroit in 1922 to parents who moved north as part of the Great Migration, with his father running the House of Diggs funeral home and serving as Michigan's first Black Democratic state senator.
• Education and Early Racism: Diggs attended University of Michigan, then Fisk University, experiencing Jim Crow firsthand. Military service in the South exposed him to further discrimination.
• Political Entry: After time in the family funeral business and following his father’s legal troubles, Diggs Jr. entered politics, winning a seat in the Michigan State Senate at age 29 (00:00-09:35).

Diggs in Congress—Legislative Style and Approach

• Moderation as Strategy: Diggs entered Congress in 1955, one of only three Black members, choosing what Dr. Orr calls “strategic moderation” between the styles of the conservative William Dawson and the flamboyant Adam Clayton Powell (17:31).

  "Diggs was a race man from his heart. He was very forceful on racial issues. ... He was a moderate in the sense of his strategy in trying to build a broad-based coalition in the Congress." — Dr. Marion Orr (18:40)

• Coalition Building: Emphasized the necessity of cross-ideological alliances to amplify Black Americans’ legislative power (18:55-21:03).

Representing the Broader Black Community

• Beyond His District: Because of the small number of Black Congressmen, Diggs saw himself as a representative for all Black Americans, not just his Michigan district.
• Emmett Till Trial Attendance: Diggs’s 1955 presence at the historic Emmett Till trial provided support to Black witnesses and brought national attention to the injustice (21:40–26:08).

  "His presence in the courtroom gave assurance and encouragement to the black witnesses who came forward. ... seeing a powerful black man from the federal government gave them the courage to testify." — Dr. Marion Orr (23:44)

Advocacy for Washington, D.C.

• Home Rule Architect: As chair of the House Committee on the District of Columbia, Diggs championed partial self-government, culminating in the Home Rule Act allowing residents to elect their mayor and council (26:48–30:07).

  "Charles Diggs Jr. is indeed the father of home rule in Washington, DC." — Dr. Marion Orr (29:49)

• Statehood Advocate: Though he supported full statehood, he recognized it was unattainable politically at the time and opted for pragmatic advances (30:18).

Africa and Anti-Apartheid Leadership

• ‘Mr. Africa’ in Congress: First Black American to serve on the House Foreign Affairs Committee; later chaired its Africa Subcommittee (31:50).
  • Pioneered congressional focus on Africa, especially apartheid in South Africa—years before most Americans understood the issue.
  • Helped launch TransAfrica and catalyzed the American anti-apartheid movement out of his own congressional office.
  • Nelson Mandela, upon his US visit, credited “Charlie Diggs and the Black Caucus” for their role in his liberation (31:50–35:39).

  "The American anti-apartheid movement literally started in Diggs' congressional office." — Dr. Marion Orr (33:05) "Nixon ... was not going to sign a bill that would grant Washington DC statehood ... and hence the compromise." — Dr. Marion Orr (30:46)

Founding the Congressional Black Caucus

• Building a Collective Voice: In 1969, Diggs informally began gathering the growing number of Black representatives; by 1971, they formally founded the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), with Diggs as the first chair (35:39–38:51).
  • Early actions included the historic boycott of Nixon’s 1971 State of the Union, culminating in a meeting with the President in 1972.

  "They met informally in Diggs' office to discuss policy … and then in 1971, [became] the Congressional Black Caucus." — Dr. Marion Orr (36:26)

Personal and Professional Downfall

• Financial Mismanagement and Scandal: Diggs struggled with personal finances throughout his career. After his funeral business failed, he engaged in a payroll kickback scheme with congressional staff (39:13).

  "He gave his secretary a salary raise ... [which she] gave back to Congressman Diggs. It's called a payroll kickback scheme." — Dr. Marion Orr (41:25)

• Conviction and Censure: An insider tipped off the Justice Department, leading to conviction on 29 counts. Diggs was censured by the House, re-elected even after conviction, then resigned in 1980 and served seven months in prison (42:55–44:40).

Restoring Diggs’s Legacy

• Dr. Orr’s project aims to correct Diggs’s “erasure from history,” emphasizing his patriotism, coalition-building, international leadership, and civil rights achievements despite personal failings (45:19).

  “My attempt with this book is to present a restorative and corrective sort of history ... Diggs should ... be recognized for his tremendous contributions. ... He was a freedom fighter on two continents.” — Dr. Marion Orr (45:32)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

On coalition-building:

“Given the fact that blacks were a numerical minority ... it required a strategic approach. ... The Founding Fathers established the Congress to be an institution of bargaining and compromise. And that's what Diggs was effective at.” — Dr. Marion Orr (19:28)

Emmett Till trial significance:

“His presence in the courtroom ... gave assurance and encouragement to the black witnesses ... We’re talking 1955 Mississippi.” — Dr. Marion Orr (23:44)

On Diggs’s shame and legacy:

“Congressman Diggs should not be known solely by his downfall ... he was a true patriot. He loved his country and he really wanted this country to stand up and be true to the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.” — Dr. Marion Orr (45:19)

Nelson Mandela’s debt to Diggs and CBC:

“When Mandela visited the US ... he noted that it was the work of the black members of Congress, led by Charlie Diggs, that freed him from prison, that freed Mandela from prison and brought down the racist regime in South Africa.” — Dr. Marion Orr (35:08)

Important Timestamps & Segments

• Diggs’s formative years and family background: 00:00–09:39
• Dr. Orr’s introduction & research process: 10:41–14:45
• Why Diggs is overlooked in history: 14:45–17:17
• Diggs's approach to governing and coalition-building: 17:17–21:03
• His presence at the Emmett Till murder trial: 21:40–26:08
• Advocacy for D.C. home rule and statehood: 26:48–30:18
• Work in Africa and the anti-apartheid movement: 31:35–35:39
• Founding the Congressional Black Caucus: 35:39–38:51
• The scandal, conviction, and resignation: 38:51–44:40
• Dr. Orr on restoring Diggs’s reputation: 45:19–46:52

Further Information

Dr. Marion Orr’s book

• Available via Amazon, University of North Carolina Press, major bookstores, and marianor.com (44:50).

Final Thoughts

This episode restores Charles C. Diggs, Jr. to his rightful place in American history, highlighting his trailblazing work in civil rights, U.S.-Africa relations, and Black political representation. Dr. Orr’s scholarship, informed by extensive archival research and oral history, offers a necessary corrective to Diggs’s relative obscurity, emphasizing his impact as a legislator, freedom fighter, and coalition builder—across continents and decades.