For Immediate Release From The Obama Foundation!
The Obama Presidential Center, in addition to being a community hub, will also be a place to honor those who came before us so we can share their legacies with the next generation.
One of those heroes is Representative John Lewis, who would have been 84 today. From his days as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement to his decades of service in Congress, Representative Lewis remains one of our most influential voices in our global pursuit of equity and justice.
In addition to paving the way for President Obama’s historic presidency, Representative Lewis also showed up time and again to support initiatives like My Brother’s Keeper. For years, he offered his wisdom, advice, and mentorship to the next generation of young men and boys of color.
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John Lewis Was One Of The Youngest (and most radical) Voices At The March On Washington
The 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom is commonly known as the seminal moment of the Civil Rights Movement. Organized by Bayard Rustin, the March was led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., James Farmer, Whitney Young, A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, and Rep. John Lewis. As one of the youngest leaders to help orchestrate the March on Washington and the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Representative Lewis’ speech represented the potency of young Black leadership and their refusal to back down in the face of oppression.
“To those who have said, “Be patient and wait,” we have long said that we cannot be patient. We do not want our freedom gradually, but we want to be free now! We are tired. We are tired of being beaten by policemen. We are tired of seeing our people locked up in jail over and over again. And then you holler, “Be patient.” How long can we be patient? We want our freedom and we want it now.” – Rep. John Lewis, March on Washington Speech, 1963
The words of Representative Lewis on that momentous day continue to reverberate with thousands of young people who have turned hope into action through their work as community leaders, global activists, and elected officials. The stories of giants like Representative Lewis will be told in several exhibits at the Obama Presidential Center Museum. When our doors open in 2025, visitors will see how progressive change in our nation has come about and how that change inspired the leadership of President and Mrs. Obama.
Rep. John Lewis Stayed Active In Social Justice Issues Until His Llast Days
As a civil rights activist, congressmember, and global leader, Rep. John Lewis spent his life uplifting and championing the rights of our society’s most marginalized communities. In his final years, Representative Lewis continued to educate young people across the country on the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, the progress that was made, and how citizens can continue to build upon that foundation.
In 2018, Representative Lewis and President Obama participated in a My Brother’s Keeper Alliance roundtable with students from Ron Brown College Preparatory High School, discussing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 50th Anniversary of his death. During the roundtable, Representative Lewis detailed his experiences working with Dr. King and the impact of collective action as a source of systemic change for Black Americans.
Rep. John Lewis’ Legacy Will Live On At The Obama Presidential Center
One of the formative moments in the legacy of Rep. John Lewis is his leadership and participation in the 1965 March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. In a non-violent protest, hundreds of young men and women joined together to walk 54 miles in their pursuit of voting rights for Black Americans in the South. The protest, which led to Bloody Sunday, stands as a defining moment of the Civil Rights Movement and a testament to the strength and power of courageous leaders, working to uphold the rights of each and every individual citizen.
Read the full article HERE!:
https://obama.org/stories/celebrating-the-...
Posted By: agnes levine
Monday, February 26th 2024 at 4:00PM
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