Mourners pay respects to late US Rep. Charles Rangel as his body lies in state at New York City Hall

NEW YORK -- Mourners are paying their respects to erstwhile U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel arsenic his assemblage lies successful authorities Thursday astatine New York City Hall, an grant bestowed to a abbreviated database of governmental figures, including U.S. presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.

The outspoken, gravel-voiced Harlem Democrat died May 26 astatine a New York hospital. He was 94.

Rangel spent astir 5 decades connected Capitol Hill and was a founding subordinate of the Congressional Black Caucus.

His ceremonial takes spot Friday astatine St. Patrick’s Cathedral successful midtown Manhattan. A aftermath was held Tuesday astatine a religion successful Harlem, the precocious Manhattan vicinity wherever Rangel, nicknamed the “Lion of Lenox Avenue,” was calved and raised.

Rangel’s assemblage arrived astatine City Hall connected Wednesday, wherever determination was a backstage evening viewing for his household successful the landmark neoclassical gathering astatine the ft of the Brooklyn Bridge successful little Manhattan.

On Thursday morning, a tiny radical of mourners softly came to wage their respects successful City Hall arsenic the surrounding streets bustled with tourists and workers.

Rangel’s closed casket sat successful the building’s marbled rotunda draped with an American flag. Uniformed constabulary stood astatine rigid attraction connected either broadside of him, backed by the authorities and nation’s flags.

Mike Keogh, a 63-year-old lobbyist and erstwhile metropolis assembly staffer, was among those who knew Rangel personally.

“He had the top dependable successful New York authorities astatine the time. It was truthful affluent and truthful full,” recalled Keogh. “It conscionable made you consciousness truly lukewarm to beryllium astir him and to truly bent connected each word.”

Tina Marie grew up successful Harlem and recalled Rangel arsenic a portion of the neighborhood’s famed Gang of Four— Black Harlemites who roseate to the precise apical of metropolis and authorities authorities successful the 1970s done the 1990s.

The others were David Dinkins, New York City’s archetypal Black mayor; Percy Sutton, who was Manhattan Borough president; and Basil Paterson, a lawman politician and New York caput of state.

“I didn't get to marque the different 3 people’s funerals truthful I wanted to travel and wage my respects,” said Marie, who present works for the authorities acquisition section steps from City Hall. “I didn’t hold with each the things they did, but they stood up for radical who couldn’t basal up for themselves.”

Besides Presidents Lincoln and Grant, the others accorded the City Hall honors aft decease see statesman Henry Clay, paper steadfast Horace Greeley and Civil War generals Abner Doubleday and Joseph Hooker.

The past idiosyncratic to prevarication successful authorities successful City Hall was City Councilman James Davis, who was assassinated by a governmental hostile successful the council’s chambers, located the level supra the rotunda, successful 2003.

Doors opened for the nationalist to wage their respects to Rangel astatine 9 a.m. Thursday.

The viewing volition tally until 5 p.m. and volition beryllium followed by an grant defender ceremonial with pallbearers representing the 369th Regiment, an all-Black portion from World War I known arsenic the Harlem Hellfighters.

Rangel’s ceremonial astatine St. Patrick’s connected Friday volition besides beryllium nationalist and livestreamed.

The Korean War vet defeated legendary Harlem person Adam Clayton Powell successful 1970 to commencement his legislature career.

Rangel went connected to go the dean of the New York legislature delegation and the archetypal African American to seat the almighty Ways and Means Committee successful 2007.

He was censured successful 2010 by his chap House members -- the astir superior punishment abbreviated of expulsion -- pursuing an morals scandal.

Rangel relinquished his station connected the House’s main tax-writing committee, but continued to service until his status successful 2017, becoming 1 of the longest-serving members successful the chamber’s history.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, besides a New York Democrat, lauded Rangel arsenic a “patriot, hero, statesman, leader, trailblazer, alteration cause and champion for justice” erstwhile his decease was announced past month.