With the passing of Congressman John Lewis, America and the world lost an icon. Mr. Lewis was fiercely committed to the advancement of civil rights for all, a tireless advocate for the country and incredibly humble. Some years ago, while flying home from D.C. and connecting through Atlanta, I found myself sitting next to Congressman Lewis. He was obviously tired after a long week in D.C and I tried not to bother him but I did have to ask him one question and he answered with his usual humility and honesty. I told him how much I admired his work and he responded that it was “nothing special” he was just “doing what I can.” I asked him if he was disappointed with the current status of civil rights in the country after all that he had been through. He responded, “No, while we still have a ways to go we have come a long way and continuing to do a little bit more every day gets us closer to our ultimate goal.” He did indicate that he was concerned that younger people in the country don’t know the history of the struggle as well as they should and this was why he wrote his autobiography “March” (graphic novel trilogy) to appeal to younger people (I definitely don’t fit in that demographic but I bought it and enjoyed it). I am very thankful that I chose that route that day and was privileged to meet and speak with Mr. Lewis. He will be sorely missed but was the epitome of a ”life well lived” and hopefully we can all strive to emulate his example and do a little bit more every day.
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John Lewis Remembered
Published date: October 2, 2020
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