And former Democratic Congressman Augustus Hawkins has died at the age of 100. He was the first African American from California to be elected to Congress. He was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and authored the legislation that formed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He was described as a longtime champion of workers, fair housing and civil rights. In a statement, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) called Gus Hawkins “the author of some of the most significant legislation ever passed in the House … particularly in the areas of education and labor. … He cared about poor and working people.”