What Was Elijah Cummings' Net Worth?
Elijah Cummings was an esteemed American politician, civil rights advocate, and author with a net worth of $1.3 million at the time of his death in October 2019.
Elijah's financial disclosures revealed a peak net worth between $1.1 million and $1.5 million, largely stemming from his Baltimore home valued at approximately $750,000. He served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1983 to 1996, and subsequently represented Maryland's 7th district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1996 until his death. In January 2019, Cummings was elected Chair of the House Oversight Committee. He also served on multiple subcommittees under the Committee of Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee of Oversight and Government Reform. His memoir, "We're Better Than This: My Fight for the Future of Our Democracy," published posthumously in 2020, received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author.
Salary
During his tenure as a senior Congressman, Elijah Cummings earned an annual salary of $174,000.
Early Life
Born on January 18, 1951, in Baltimore, Maryland, Elijah Eugene Cummings was the son of sharecroppers Ruth Elma and Robert Cummings. He had six siblings and was significantly involved in civil rights activities from a young age. At 11, he played a pivotal role in integrating a segregated South Baltimore swimming pool. Elijah excelled academically, graduating with honors from Baltimore City College high school in 1969. He then attended Howard University, where he was involved in student government and became a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science in 1973. He earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1976 and practiced law for nearly two decades before entering Congress in 1996.
Career
Elijah Cummings began his political career in the Maryland House of Delegates, serving from 1983 to 1996. His predecessor, Lena King Lee, played an integral role in his political ascent. In the Maryland General Assembly, Cummings was Chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus and the first Black lawmaker to be named Speaker Pro Tempore. He was actively involved in several boards and advisory committees, including the University of Maryland Law School Board of Advisors, the SEED Schools of Maryland Board of Directors, and the United States Naval Academy Board of Visitors. He founded the Elijah Cummings Youth Program in Israel to foster leadership skills in teens from Maryland's 7th district. Elijah also contributed a regular column to the "Baltimore Afro-American" and was a member of the Prince Hall Freemasonry.
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Cummings was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996 and was re-elected 11 times until his death. He was a member of various caucuses and committees, including the Task Force on Health Care Reform, Congressional Arts Caucus, and Congressional Progressive Caucus. He co-founded and chaired the Congressional Caucus on Drug Policy and served as Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. As Chair of the Oversight Committee, he played a pivotal role in various investigations, including the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump. Elijah introduced key legislative measures such as the Presidential and Federal Records Act Amendments of 2014 and the All Circuit Review Extension Act. He was a proponent of the Smart Savings Act, advocating for diversified investment funds that yield higher returns. At the 2016 Democratic National Convention, he emphasized the importance of diversity and unity, declaring, "Our party knows that diversity is not our problem. It is our promise."
Personal Life
Elijah Cummings married Maya Rockeymoore on June 20, 2008. Maya, who was elected chair of the Maryland Democratic Party in 2018, ran for Elijah's congressional seat after his death but lost in the primary. Elijah was previously married to Joyce Matthews, with whom he had a daughter, Jennifer. He also had two children from other relationships. In 2011, Elijah's nephew Christopher Cummings, a student at Old Dominion University, was tragically murdered. A decade later, four suspects were arrested in connection with the crime. Elijah faced significant health challenges, including aortic valve repair surgery in 2017 and long-term thymic carcinoma, a rare cancer he battled for more than two decades.
Death
Elijah Cummings passed away on October 17, 2019, at the age of 68 due to complications from longstanding health issues. On October 24, 2019, he became the first Black lawmaker to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall. His funeral, held at Baltimore's New Psalmist Baptist Church on October 25, 2019, was attended by notable political figures such as Barack Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, John Lewis, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and Elizabeth Warren. Republican Congressman Mark Meadows delivered a heartfelt eulogy, calling Elijah a dear friend and advocating for more "unexpected friendships" in politics.
Honors
Elijah Cummings received numerous honorary doctoral degrees, including a Doctor of Laws from Howard University (2003), a Doctor of Humane Letters from Johns Hopkins University (2015), and a Doctor of Public Service from the University of Maryland, College Park (2017).
