Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. on November 14, 1941. Even with the scandals that marred his legacy, Powell had some real accomplishments, such as the important role he played in the passage of minimum wage and anti-poverty acts, as well as bills supporting federal aid for education.
However, he is primarily remembered for his fiery sermons, his radical politics and his flamboyant lifestyle. After news of one of his adulterous affairs broke, someone said to him, “I thought you were a man of the cloth.” He replied, “I am. Silk.”