Emily Clyburn Cause of Death: How the Civil Rights Activist and Wife of Congressman Jim Clyburn Passed Away

Emily England Clyburn, the wife of House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, died on September 19, 2019, at the age of 80. She was a civil rights activist, a librarian, and a philanthropist who made a difference in her community and her state. Her death was mourned by leaders from both parties and many people who knew her and admired her.

A Life of Service and Activism

Emily Clyburn was born on December 4, 1938, in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. She attended Berkeley Training High School and graduated as valedictorian in 1955. She then enrolled at South Carolina State College, where she met her future husband, Jim Clyburn, in 1960. They were both arrested for participating in a civil rights demonstration and bonded over their shared commitment to social justice. They got married in 1961 and had three daughters: Mignon, Jennifer, and Angela.

Emily Clyburn followed her husband’s political career, which began in 1971 when he became the first African American advisor to a South Carolina governor. She supported him as he rose through the ranks of state and national politics, becoming the first African American elected to Congress from South Carolina since Reconstruction in 1992 and the highest-ranking African American in Congress as the House Majority Whip in 2019.

Emily Clyburn was also an activist and a leader in her own right. She was a longtime librarian who worked at various schools and institutions in Columbia and Charleston. She retired in 1994 after 29 years as a medical librarian at the Charleston Naval Base and Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia. She was also a philanthropist who helped raise scholarship funds for students to attend college. She was especially passionate about her alma mater, South Carolina State University, where she established the Dr. Emily England Clyburn Honors College Scholarship Endowment with $1.7 million in endowed funds.

A Legacy of Love and Inspiration

Emily Clyburn died from natural causes on September 19, 2019, in Columbia, South Carolina. She was surrounded by her family and friends who loved her dearly. Her death was announced by her husband’s office, which said that “a celebration of her life and legacy will be held at Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia, South Carolina at 5 p.m. on Sunday, and her Homegoing Services will be at Morris Brown AMEC in Charleston, South Carolina at 11 a.m. on Monday.”

Her death was also met with an outpouring of condolences and tributes from many prominent figures who respected her and appreciated her contributions to society. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that “Emily Clyburn was a champion of equality and opportunity who made a difference for countless young people in her beloved South Carolina.” Former Vice President Joe Biden said that “she was always a force, pushing not only her husband, but all of us who knew her well, to live up to our better angels.” Sen. Lindsey Graham said that “she was one of the most kind and dynamic people I had ever met and lived a consequential life changing South Carolina and the United States for the better.”

Emily Clyburn’s legacy will live on through her family, her friends, her students, and her community. She will be remembered as a woman of courage, compassion, and wisdom who touched many lives with her generosity and grace. She will be missed by all who knew her and admired her.

Doms Desk

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