Donald Payne dies from colon cancer

The first African-American from New Jersey to serve in the U.S. Congress, U.S. Rep. Donald Payne of Newark has died.

He was 77.

Noted for their silent gravitas, progressive issues advocacy and pioneering living story, Congressman Payne along with his mature brother Bill Payne defined the struggles of a generation of Newark Blacks who in the 1950s and '60s fought for the same rights out of the North Ward. By the dawn of the 1970s, the Paynes relocated to the South of Newark, where they constructed a political base on Bergen Street that served as the launch pad for Mr. Payne’s historic campaigns for Congress in the 1980s.

He died in St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the moving of Rep. Donald M. Payne, " read a statement issued by the congressman's office. "A native of Newark, New Jersey, Rep. Payne committed their living to portion the men, women and children of the 10th Congressional Area. In addition to their company as being a community school teacher in Newark and Passaic, Rep. Payne served as the 1st African-American President of the National YMCA. For 24 yerars, Rep. Payne traveled throughout the world portion as being a calm and rational voice on issues impacting the social conditions of the global community. "

Mr. Payne famously leaped against incumbent U.S. Rep. Peter Rodino in 1982 and 1986, losing each occasions before party market leaders persuaded the popular congressman to move in 1988. Mr. Payne subsequently gained a seat he would hold for 24 years.

A champ of the poor and dispossessed not only in Newark but in Africa, notably the Sudan, where this individual had taken one of this country’s most forceful stands against the genocide this individual witnessed presently there, Congressman Payne was once arrested in Washington, Deb. C., for protesting against the Sudanese authorities.

In 2002, Mr. Payne opposed giving George Bush the power to go to war in Iraq, one of four members of the New Jersey delegation who tried to stop Bush. To the ending this individual condemned the Iraq War as “flawed policy. ”

In voting against the Wall Street bailout in 2008, the veteran congressman noticeable an economy in meltdown, but insisted on seeing stronger bottom up actions to help the poor and middle school.

“I’m worried about the back streets, not Wall Street, ” Congressman Payne told a Roselle audience. “Everyone’s referring to Wall Street and Main Street, but man, I’m thinking about the back street. Sure, I support Wall Street. Yes, I back Main Street. But I want to know what’s going to happen to the back streets. ”

As the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa for the Congressional Foreign Important affairs Committee, Congressman Payne grew to be a leading negotiate for international human rights.

"I would be remiss easily did not thank those who are personally responsible for ensuring I am aware about Africa, " said then-President Bill Clinton, before immediately determining Congressman Payne.

After a 2009 trip to Africa, the congressman prepared to depart from Mogadishu when their plane sustained small arms gun fireplace from the ground, according to CNN. The congressman had earlier that exact same day discussed the meltdown of piracy off the failed state's coast.

This year, this individual faced the prospect of a Democratic Major challenge from West Ward Councilman Ronald C. Rice.

“We’re inside a crucial time, ” the congressman told PolitickerNJ. com as this individual discussed their intentions to run to get a 13th term. “Hopefully we can maintain control of the Senate and there is an outside chance of winning back the House. The Tea Party is influencing Republicans, creating havoc within the Republican caucus. The Republicans are usually obstructionist - the party of no . Congress's ratings are very, very low right now and the GOP must carry the brunt of that. ”

Mr. Payne grew up poor inside a section of the North Ward called Doodletown.

"He understood more Italians than I did, " said a grief-stricken Steve Adubato, who attended Barringer High School with the Payne Brothers.

"There was a lot of racism against Blacks then, but Donald was accepted simply by everyone. He was an unusal guy. And understand this: this individual usually helped me. This individual usually helped the North Ward Center. "

The congressman worked on the docks in his young manhood.

"I love this place, " this individual told longshoremen at a 2008 campaign stop at Port Newark. "I performed down in this article from 1952 to 1956, on Doremus Avenue, where they used to have about one particular ship a week, believe me. The old days. But we’re so glad to see this port come to where it is today. ”

This individual grew to be a teacher, and mature Passaic City families nevertheless remember your pet at the No . 8 Elementary School. This individual served as national YMCA president and later as an professional with Prudential.

This individual spent a lifetime in politics. In the words and phrases of one of their friends, when the congressman’s wife died relatively early in Mr. Payne’s living, their loved ones in a sense grew to be the population world of politics.

At the beginning of their careers, this individual and his mature brother performed in tandem as they sought better African-American representation within the Newark Democratic Party, with Bill Payne very early gaining a reputation as the severe activist and Donald Payne showing skills as being a diplomat.

In no way an obvious self-promoter, Mr. Payne as being a community person embodied old school qualities of humility and toughness. This individual seldom sought out a microphone but commanded attention naturally by being a presence in the room.

Their employees in their statement noted, "New Jersey has lost a respectable community servant, and the planet has lost an incredible human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to find out and work with Rep. Payne have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Rep. Payne once stated, 'There is a lot of dignity in being able to attain elements without having to produce rapture. '"

In the aftermath of the Newark riots, the Payne brothers grew to be the strongest South Ward political brand in the city, using the Bergen Street business area as their most visible base of operations. The congressman scorned conventional polling, preferring instead to gauge his own popularity by the quantity of beeps to the horn this individual heard as this individual walked along their precious Bergen Street.

He was a former leader of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Mr. Payne served as being a Newark City councilman so that as an Essex Freeholder. In 1978, this individual leaped inside a four-way contest for Essex County professional, losing to Peter Shapiro.

“He was a man in whom the poor had a voice, ” said Assemblyman Joe Cryan, (D-20), Union, whose father, Sheriff Chris Cryan, also ran unsuccessfully in the 1978 county executive’s contest.

“Congressman Payne was someone who understood presidents and kings but was more comfortable with the man in the street, that’s just who he was, ’ said Cryan.

In recent years the Paynes managed to fend off a number of organized political forays against them, most notably in 2008, when Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s allies tried to weaken the Paynes inside a South Ward area leader battle. On Democratic Major night, the Paynes celebrated a hard-fought victory, not only over the Booker Team, but with political friend U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s flattening of South Jersey challenger U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews.

The win proved the Paynes’ carried on strength in the ward.

Assemblyman Tom Giblin (D-34) called Donald Payne the ultimate political survivor, who after six years to the freeholder board left that governing shape to pursue a run for county professional.

“He came in third on a shoe string budget at best, ” said Giblin. “He crossed the racial barrier early on; performed in it seven days a week. ”

Giblin said the congressman’s legacy inevitably must include their work on international human rights, an effort he made global in the truest sense.

“He was constantly taking excursions trying to bridge the gap between Africa and other countries, ” said the assemblyman, “but elsewhere also. Even in Ireland, (Sinn Fein leader) Gerry Adams would tell you he was influential in bringing about planet peace. Adams repeated often that Donald Payne played an influential role in in no way shying away from trying to result in peace in Northern Ireland.

“I think this individual saw it all as interrelated: how crucial it is to stop the erosions of Democratic governments worldwide, and if we fail to do so, that could haunt us on our own shores. This individual in no way ceased working in it. When this individual came home on a Thursday night from Washington, Deb. C., he would work all weekend break. You never heard Donald Payne doing much for himself. ”

The congressman’s child, Donald Payne Jr., serves as president of the Newark City Council, where Mr. Payne started as an elected recognized.

Friends and relatives worried about the congressman’s health during the course of the last yr and a half as this individual battled colon cancer. In recent weeks, their colleagues 1st began to notice signs of physical deterioration.

Honored by the Legislative Black Caucus last month, the generally reserved congressman was overcome simply by emotion.

National Democratic Party market leaders last Thursday urged caucus members to take a break from your voting program to go to George Washington University Hospital to pay their respects to their colleague.

A day later, Mr. Payne left Washington, Deb. C., via medical transport plane to return home to Newark.

"In accordance with his civil approach and global humanitarian attempts, " said their employees, "Rep. Payne would want us to carry on simply by defending against injustice and protecting human rights so that all mankind can pursue the excellence of the human potential. "