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WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 24: Civil Rights icon Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) prepares to pay his respects to U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) who lies in state within Statuary Hall during a memorial ceremony on Capitol Hill on October 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Melina Mara-Pool/Getty Images)
Rep. John Lewis, a lifelong civil rights icon and Congressman for nearly three decades, died after a fight with pancreatic cancer on Friday.
Rep. John Lewis, the last survivor of the Big Six civil rights activists responsible for organizing the 1963 March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, died on Friday at 80 years old. This followed decades fighting for civil rights, a nearly 30-year career in Congress and a fight with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer that began in back December.
When Lewis announced he had been diagnosed with cancer at the end of last year, he said, ““I have been in some kind of fight — for freedom, equality, basic human rights — for nearly my entire life. I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now.”
Even during that fight, however, Lewis continued to speak out in support of the movement, voicing that the protests cropping up nationwide following the death of George Floyd felt like a “tipping point” for the U.S. He was a lifelong activist, and that didn’t stop when he stopped being able to attend rallies and protests.
“It is with inconsolable grief and enduring sadness that we announce the passing of U.S. Rep. John Lewis,” read statement from Lewis’ family released on Friday. “He was honored and respected as the conscience of the U.S. Congress and an icon of American history, but we knew him as a loving father and brother. He was a stalwart champion in the ongoing struggle to demand respect for the dignity and worth of every human being. He dedicated his entire life to non-violent activism and was an outspoken advocate in the struggle for equal justice in America. He will be deeply missed.”
In addition to organizing the March on Washington, Lewis was also one of the men behind the 1965 march across Selma, Alabama that would later come to be known as “Bloody Sunday.” Lewis was one of many protesters violently assaulted by the police that day, an experience he spoke about leading up to the 50th anniversary of the event.
Lewis was elected to Congress in 1986 following a campaign against Julian Bond, and he spent his years representing Georgia’s 5th Congressional District fighting for his beliefs and gaining the respect of his colleagues. Many in Congress referred to Lewis as ““the conscience of Congress,” and tributes from his fellow politicians quickly followed the news of his death.
Former President Barack Obama viewed Lewis as “his hero,” and he paid tribute to the Congressman and former Freedom Rider in a blog posted to Medium. Obama wrote:
“I first met John when I was in law school, and I told him then that he was one of my heroes. Years later, when I was elected a U.S. Senator, I told him that I stood on his shoulders. When I was elected President of the United States, I hugged him on the inauguration stand before I was sworn in and told him I was only there because of the sacrifices he made. And through all those years, he never stopped providing wisdom and encouragement to me and Michelle and our family. We will miss him dearly.”
And the former President was far from the only one to pay homage to the civil rights icon. Bernice King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, wrote on Twitter, “You did, indeed, fight the good fight and get into a lot of good trouble. You served God and humanity well. Thank you. Take your rest.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Kamala Harris, former President Bill Clinton, Sen. Tim Scott, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Sen. Cory Booker, former Sen. Hilary Clinton, and Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden were also among the many who tweeted their condolences.
It’s clear that Lewis touched many lives during his 80 years on this Earth, and the movement he fought for will no doubt continue long after his death.