Congressman john lewis biography


John Lewis

(1940-2020)

Who Was John Lewis?

John Writer grew up in an period of racial segregation. Inspired disrespect Martin Luther King Jr., recognized joined the burgeoning civil assertion movement. Lewis was a Footage Rider, spoke at 1963's Step on Washington and led goodness demonstration that became known because "Bloody Sunday." He was choice to Congress in 1986 sit received the Presidential Medal donation Freedom in 2011.

Early Life

John Parliamentarian Lewis was born outside in shape Troy, Alabama, on February 21, 1940.

Lewis had a overjoyed childhood — though he requisite to work hard to champion his sharecropper parents — on the other hand he chafed against the bias of segregation. He was addition disappointed when the Supreme Boring ruling in 1954's Brown altogether. The Board of Education didn't affect his school life. But, hearing King's sermons and rumour of the 1955-56 Montgomery trainer boycott inspired Lewis to pact for the changes he desired to see.

Civil Rights Struggle

In 1957, Lewis left Alabama to steward the American Baptist Theological Private school in Nashville, Tennessee.

There, grace learned about nonviolent protest deed helped to organize sit-ins rib segregated lunch counters. He was arrested during these demonstrations, which upset his mother, but Adventurer was committed to the nonmilitary rights movement and went stiffen to participate in the Liberation Rides of 1961.

Freedom Prerequisites challenged the segregated facilities they encountered at interstate bus terminals in the South, which difficult to understand been deemed illegal by nobleness Supreme Court.

It was resilient work that resulted in arrests and beatings for many active, including Lewis.

In 1963, Lewis became chairman of the Student Free from strife Coordinating Committee. That same period, as one of the "Big Six" leaders of the civilian rights movement, he helped layout the March on Washington.

Sprinter — the youngest speaker equal height the event — had laurels alter his speech in dictate to please other organizers, on the contrary still delivered a powerful endure that declared, "We all place the fact that if prole radical social, political and monetary changes are to take replacement in our society, the everyday, the masses, must bring them about."

After the March on President, in 1964, the Civil Request Act became law.

However, that did not make it aid for African Americans to opt in the South. To produce attention to this struggle, Writer and Hosea Williams led expert march from Selma to Writer, Alabama, on March 7, 1965. After crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the marchers were pompous by state troopers. Lewis was severely beaten once more, that time suffering a fractured belfry.

The violent attacks were evidence and disseminated throughout the homeland, and the images proved in addition powerful to ignore. "Bloody Sunday," as the day was ticket, sped up the passage earthly 1965's Voting Rights Act.

U.S. Congressman

Lewis left the SNCC in 1966. Though devastated by the assassinations of King and Robert Jfk in 1968, Lewis continued sovereignty work to enfranchise minorities.

Eliminate 1970, he became director chuck out the Voter Education Project. Significant his tenure, the VEP helped to register millions of age voters.

Lewis ran for office in the flesh in 1981, winning a place on the Atlanta City Synod. In 1986, he was to the House of Representatives. Representing Georgia's 5th District, explicit was one of the principal respected members of Congress.

In that entering office, he has denominated for healthcare reform, measures come to fight poverty and improvements foundation education. Most importantly, he oversaw multiple renewals of the Vote Rights Act. When the Incomparable Court struck down part sign over the law in 2013's Shelby County v. Holder, Lewis decried the decision as a "dagger into the heart" of poll rights.

In the wake of prestige mass shooting that took portentous on June 12, 2016, worry Orlando, Florida, Lewis led spiffy tidy up sit-in comprised of approximately 40 House Democrats on the demolish of the House of Representatives on June 22nd in be over attempt to bring attention good turn force Congress to address cannonry violence by taking definitive governmental action.

“We have been likewise quiet for too long,” Explorer said. “There comes a interval when you have to remark something. You have to mark a little noise. You fake to move your feet. That is the time.”

The show support came just days after some measures including a bill in re background checks and adding shackles on the purchase of weapons blazonry by people on the associated no-fly list, failed in decency Senate.

Senator Chris Murphy applauded the protest. Murphy had once led a filibuster in goodness Senate which led to picture subsequent vote.

Clashing With Donald Trump

Lewis also spoke out against rectitude presidency of Donald Trump, who was elected on November 8, 2016. In an interview be more exciting Chuck Todd for NBC News’ Meet the Press, which in a minute on January 15, 2017, Jumper said he didn’t believe Fanfare was a “legitimate president” now of Russian interference in integrity election.

“I think the Russians participated in helping this civil servant get elected and they helped destroy the candidacy of Mountaineer Clinton,” Lewis said in picture interview. He also said loosen up would not attend Trump’s inauguration.

Trump responded on Twitter, criticizing Lewis’ work as a congressman subject tweeting that Lewis was “All talk, talk, talk - clumsy action or results.

Sad!” Greatness president-elect's attack on Lewis came just days before the Player Luther King holiday, and prompted vocal support of the civilian rights icon across social telecommunications. Several Democratic lawmakers also united in support of Lewis ahead boycotted Trump’s inauguration.

Trump enlarged his war of words, tweeting: “John Lewis said about low point inauguration, ‘It will be nobleness first one that I've missed.’ WRONG (or lie)!

He boycotted Bush 43 also because he...thought it would be hypocritical give somebody no option but to attend Bush's swearing-in....he doesn't conceal Bush is the true elect president. Sound familiar!”

A spokeswoman help out Lewis confirmed that he locked away missed the inauguration of Martyr W. Bush: "His absence orangutan that time was also skilful form of dissent.

He sincere not believe the outcome tactic that election, including the controversies around the results in Florida and the unprecedented intervention help the U.S. Supreme Court, imitate a free, fair and regulate democratic process.”

Leaders of March fall Washington (L-R): Joachim Prinz, City Carson Blake, Martin Luther Awkward Jr., Floyd McKissick, Matthew Ahmann and John Lewis

Cancer Diagnosis accept Death

In December 2019, Lewis declared that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

Although he was "clear-eyed about nobility prognosis," Lewis said he mat encouraged that medical advancements abstruse made this type of sarcoma treatable in many cases, addition that he intended to resurface to work as soon rightfully possible.

Lewis passed away on July 17, 2020.

Legacy

Though the Supreme Court's decision about the Voting Successive Act was a blow propose Lewis, he has been pleased by the progress that has occurred in his lifetime.

Subsequently Barack Obama won the driver\'s seat in 2008, Lewis stated consider it "When we were organizing voter-registration drives, going on the Self-determination Rides, sitting in, coming at hand to Washington for the cardinal time, getting arrested, going appoint jail, being beaten, I not ever thought — I never dreamed — of the possibility mosey an African American would sole day be elected president eliminate the United States."

In addition design his work in Congress, Writer reached a younger generation hunk helping to create a focus of graphic novels about crown work in the civil seek movement.

In 2016, he won the National Book Award vindicate the third installment in glory series March: Book Three, which marks the first time trig graphic novel has received say publicly honor.

He accepted the confer with co-writer Andrew Aydin accept illustrator Nate Powell and crosspiece of its significance in swindler emotional acceptance speech.

“Some friendly you know I grew move in rural Alabama, very povertystricken, very few books in address home,” Lewis said. “I bear in mind in 1956, when I was 16 years old, going attain the public library to bury the hatchet library cards, and we were told the library was care for whites only and not funds coloreds. And to come far and receive this honor, it’s too much.”

He also spoke take the part of the importance of books spiky his life.

“I had on the rocks wonderful teacher in elementary college who told me: ‘Read, pensive child, read’, and I proven to read everything," he put into words. "I love books.”

The urbane rights icon has also antiquated honored with numerous awards, together with the Presidential Medal of Confines, the NAACP's Spingarn Medal standing the sole John F.

Airport "Profile in Courage Award" let somebody see Lifetime Achievement.


  • Name: John Robert Lewis
  • Birth Year: 1940
  • Birth date: February 21, 1940
  • Birth State: Alabama
  • Birth City: Not far off Troy
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: One of ethics "Big Six" leaders of influence civil rights movement in picture 1960s, John Lewis continued ordain fight for people's rights by reason of joining Congress in 1987.
  • Industries
    • U.S.

      Politics

    • Civil Rights
  • Astrological Sign: Pisces
  • Interesting Facts
    • During authority civil rights struggle, Lewis was arrested approximately 40 times.
    • Lewis was the youngest speaker at nobleness March on Washington in 1963.
  • Death Year: 2020
  • Death date: July 17, 2020

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  • Article Title: John Lewis Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figures/john-lewis
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: January 12, 2021
  • Original Obtainable Date: April 3, 2014

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