Lewis was an “outspoken advocate” for equal justice in the US and dedicated his life to non-violent activism
John Lewis and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus wait in the US Capitol Rotunda to enter memorial services for Elijah Cummings on October 24 2019. Picture: REUTERS/ PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS
Lewis, who bore scars from being beaten during some of the seminal civil rights protests, was one of the six main organisers — including the Reverend Martin Luther King junior — of the Washington march where King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial. Lewis was the youngest speaker at the event.
“In the Congress, John Lewis was revered and beloved on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol. All of us were humbled to call Congressman Lewis a colleague, and are heartbroken by his passing. May his memory be an inspiration that moves us all to, in the face of injustice, make ‘good trouble, necessary trouble,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.
“He could not have been prouder of their efforts — of a new generation standing up for freedom and equality, a new generation intent on voting and protecting the Right to vote, a new generation running for political office,” Obama said. “They had learnt from his example, even if they didn’t know it. They had understood through him what American citizenship requires, even if they had heard of his courage only through history books.
He helped create SNCC in 1963. After leaving that group three years later, he worked with community organisations and was named community affairs director for the National Consumer Co-op Bank in Atlanta.
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