"We all got up early in the morning and took the bus in search of a good education," said his City College classmate, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings. "He had a humility about him and he spoke through his writings. He gave his words a lot of thought, and he had the ability to make you think about the other side of the issue. I never doubted that he believed his positions, and you certainly never knew what he was going to say."