John Lewis champions nonviolence in the fight for civil rights
- John Lewis was a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and was involved in desegregation efforts in Nashville in 1960.
- He suffered significant injuries during nonviolent protests, such as the Selma march in 1965, which brought national attention to voting rights.
- Lewis' lifelong commitment to nonviolence and peaceful protest significantly influenced the Civil Rights Movement and U.S. legislative change.
In the United States during the 1960s, John Lewis emerged as a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement. He was notably involved in organizing sit-ins to desegregate lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1960, where he faced significant violence. One of his most famous actions took place in Selma, Alabama, in 1965, when he led 600 peaceful demonstrators across the Edmund Pettus Bridge while advocating for voting rights. This march culminated in a brutal attack by state troopers, leading to serious injuries for Lewis and others, marking a pivotal moment in the struggle for civil rights and garnering national attention for their cause. Throughout his lifetime, Lewis maintained his belief in nonviolent protests, heavily influenced by figures like Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. In addition to his activism, Lewis served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for over three decades, where he continued to advocate for justice and equality until his death. His legacy includes a commitment to nonviolence and the importance of peaceful protest as a means to achieve social change, which he emphasized in his final statements to demonstrators shortly before passing away, emphasizing that history shows nonviolent protest is crucial for justice and equality.