Congressman Charles B. Rangel who represents the 13th Congressional District of New York that includes Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, was honored with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's (CBCF) Elder Statesperson AVOICE Heritage, Distinguished Pioneer Award at the sixth annual AVOICE Heritage Celebration ceremony at The Hamilton in the nation's capital on February 24, 2015.

"I am greatly honored to receive this recognition from the CBC Foundation. Inspired by Dr. King's dedication to service, I ran for office to fight for equality and help pave the way for others. Since 1971, I am proud to have served alongside tireless members of the CBC in fighting for the shared interests of the Black community," said Congressman Rangel. "Today, one of our former members, Barack Obama, is serving as President. The CBC has a long and storied past, and I am pleased to have been a part of it from the start."

As one of the 13 original founding members, Congressman Rangel has been an integral part of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) since it was formed in 1971. It was Congressman Rangel who proposed changing the group's original name from the Democratic Select Committee to what it is known as today. He served as its third Chairman from 1974 to 1976. Today, the CBC is chaired by Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) and has grown to include 46 currently-serving members.

"I am so proud of what we've achieved since our founding," said Congressman Rangel. "The work is far from over but our efforts have certainly paid off. Given how far we have come and the strength we have built, I cannot wait to see the progress we will continue to make in the future."

The CBCF serves to chronicle the rich history of the political and legislative contributions of the CBC. The Avoice Heritage Celebration is the official Black History Month observance of the CBCF. Each year, the event recognizes the efforts of individuals and organizations in service to the Black community. Also honored at the event was the Dean of the House of Representatives and the only other remaining founding member of the CBC presently serving, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), who received the Elder Statesperson Avoice Heritage Award for Distinguished Leadership. Toyota Corporation received the Distinguished Corporation Award.