John Lewis , a native of Troy, Alabama, was a co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and later became its chairman, and also served as director of the Voter Education Project.
In Washington, he fought against poverty and made improving education and healthcare his top priorities among others. Lewis supported national health insurance and gay rights, and was a loud critic of U.S. involvement in the Iraq War. He famously boycotted the inauguration ceremonies of Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump, claiming both had been unfairly elected. In 2016, he led a sit-in at the House of Representatives to protest inaction against gun laws after the Orlando nightclub shooting.
Anchor the eternity of love in your own soul and embed this planet with goodness. Lean toward the whispers of your own heart, discover the universal truth, and follow its dictates. Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge. Release all bitterness. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won. Choose confrontation wisely, but when it is your time don’t be afraid to stand up, speak up, and speak out against injustice. And if you follow your truth down the road to peace and the affirmation of love, if you shine like a beacon for all to see, then the poetry of all the great dreamers and philosophers is yours to manifest in a nation, a world community, and a Beloved Community that is finally at peace with itself.
~ John Lewis, Feb 21, 1940 – July 21, 2020
