RIP Congressman John Lewis (February 21, 1940 — July 17, 2020)

[Astronuc]

Congressman John Lewis lost a months-long battle with pancreatic cancer. "He was the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 5th congressional district, and was serving in his 17th term in the House until his death, having served since 1987, and was the dean of the Georgia congressional delegation. The district he served includes the northern three-fourths of Atlanta."

"Lewis, who as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was one of the "Big Six" leaders of groups who organized the 1963 March on Washington, played many key roles in the Civil Rights Movement and its actions to end legalized racial segregation in the United States."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lewis_(civil_rights_leader)
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/17/john-lewis-obit-civil-rights-congress-036212

 

[phinds]

A great American success story. I can't even imaging the pride he must have felt being on the stage w/ Obama during the inauguration after all that he had endured and accomplished to end up there.

 

[mathwonk]

John Lewis' beating shown on television, along with that of others literally ridden down by mounted policemen in 1965, inspired me to travel to Montgomery, Alabama, for the march to the capitol. Much later he was my congressman in Decatur, GA. Until I recently moved, I had an autographed copy of his memoir Walking with the wind. I can't say how moved I am. I hope the next generation steps up to try to fill his shoes. I also know who C.T.Vivian is, the other Atlanta civil rights warrior who also died today. If you look around you, see if you think the struggle is over. Peace be with you.

 

[berkeman]

John Lewis' beating shown on television, along with that of others literally ridden down by mounted policemen in 1965, inspired me to travel to Montgomery, Alabama, for the march to the capitol. Much later he was my congressman in Decatur, GA.

Oh my, that is amazing.

 

[mathwonk]

I was in a booth at Whitney's bar, Cambridge, MA, drinking and doing my real analysis homework, when this footage came on tv, as well as footage I recall of people kneeling and praying and being ridden down.



In Montgomery, Ala, the Alabama national guard troops designated to protect us, were wearing confederate flags on their uniform shirt pockets. I was asked for rides home by several people afterwards, but had no car. One woman who gave such rides, Viola Liuzzo, was murdered on the highway by Klansmen. The Klan murderers were accompanied in their car by an FBI informant, also wielding a gun, a member of the Klan whose advance knowledge of what was upcoming was ignored by the FBI. After the murder, J. Edgar Hoover disparaged the victim falsely as a drug user. The details, gleaned from FBI files, can be read in the 3rd volume of the MLK biography by Taylor Branch, At Canaan's Edge. I recommend it to those who did not live in those days, as well as those of us who did.

 

[shjacks45]

A good man. We need many more like him.