Was Charlie Rangel Really An Advocate For Black Politics?

 According to Black Agenda Report's Margaret Kimberley, not exactly:

The recent passing of former Congressman Charles B. Rangel at the age of 94 does not mark the end of a political era. The era which defined Black politics – that is to say, a politics which consciously and purposefully made demands on behalf of Black people – ended long ago. Rangel’s 44-year tenure spanned the founding of the Congressional Black Caucus, which became known as the “conscience of the congress,” until the Democratic Party’s takeover by corporate and neoliberal interests killed off any vestiges of Black and progressive politics.

There's more about the Congressional Black Congress (CBC) and how the Democratic Leadership Conference (DLC) brought the CBC, Rangel and other Black Democrats to heel.