Thousands of people have lined up to attend the funeral of Rep. Elijah Cummings Elijah Eugene CummingsBlack GOP candidate accuses Behar of wearing black face in heated interview Overnight Health Care: US won't join global coronavirus vaccine initiative | Federal panel lays out initial priorities for COVID-19 vaccine distribution | NIH panel: 'Insufficient data' to show treatment touted by Trump works House Oversight Democrats to subpoena AbbVie in drug pricing probe MORE (D-Md.), a son of sharecroppers who rose to become the chairman of the powerful House Oversight and Reform Committee.

Lines were long outside the New Psalmist Baptist Church at 8 a.m. as crowds came to attend the services, which will begin later in the day.

Long lines of people wait to go to Elijah Cummings’s viewing at New Psalmist Baptist Church; his funeral will follow pic.twitter.com/kfN4378RRF — Samantha Hawkins (@samhawk81) October 25, 2019

The morning news live from Baltimore Maryland thousands of people waiting to get into the funeral of Elijah Cummings pic.twitter.com/MUAvLEtjhr — Muhammad Abdullah (@Muhamma86994502) October 25, 2019

The Associated Press reported that several hundred people were waiting outside the Baltimore church at dawn, waiting for the doors to open ahead of the Friday funeral.

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Cummings's open casket was reportedly at the front of the 4,000-seat sanctuary with wreaths placed on both sides and a U.S. flag folded into a triangle.

Former Presidents Obama and Clinton, as well as Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiDemocratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' Overnight Health Care: New wave of COVID-19 cases builds in US | Florida to lift all coronavirus restrictions on restaurants, bars | Trump stirs questions with 0 drug coupon plan Overnight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds MORE (D-Calif.) and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida Hillicon Valley: Productivity, fatigue, cybersecurity emerge as top concerns amid pandemic | Facebook critics launch alternative oversight board | Google to temporarily bar election ads after polls close Trump pledges to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, designate KKK a terrorist group in pitch to Black voters MORE were all expected to speak.

Cummings on Thursday became the first African American lawmaker to lie in state at the Capitol.

He died last week at age 68 due to to "longstanding health challenges" according to his office.

Cummings's Oversight and Reform Committee was one of three leading the impeachment probe into President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE over his dealings with Ukraine.

He had served in the House since 1996.

Mike Lillis contributed.