Charles Coles Diggs Sr. (January 2, 1894 – April 25, 1967) was the first African-American Democrat elected to the Senate of the State of Michigan.

A follower of Marcus Garvey during the 1920s, Diggs first became involved in politics as a Republican, and then changed affiliation to the Democrats in 1932.

Diggs had a personal story of traveling to Lansing in 1938 for his first session in the Legislature, and then being denied a room because of his race at the Olds Hotel across the street from the State Capitol.

Diggs responded with a series of bills aimed at strengthening Michigan's civil rights laws, and the Diggs Law (Equal Accommodations Act of 1938—Act 117, signed by Governor Frank Murphy) made discriminatory service based on color, race or creed a misdemeanor.

[3] He was rooted in his family's business, the House of Diggs, which at one time was said to be Michigan's largest funeral home.