John Lewis and Bryan Stevenson: The fight for civil rights and freedom | TED

Summary

In this poignant conversation, Congressman John Lewis discusses his journey from rural Alabama to the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement, emphasizing the power of nonviolence and the importance of voting rights. He shares stories of meeting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the impact of their collective efforts on American society. Lewis reflects on his commitment to creating a better world, his hope for future generations, and the significance of redemption and forgiveness in social progress.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Congressman John Lewis emphasized the importance of standing up for justice and equality, stating that one must act when encountering unfairness.
• 🔍 Lewis shared his early life experiences picking cotton in rural Alabama, which fueled his desire for change and a better life for his community.
• 📚 His mother's strategic thinking and encouragement to pursue education were pivotal in shaping his future activism and vision for a better society.
• 💌 Lewis's decision to write to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. without telling his family was a brave step that led to a life-changing invitation to meet with King and get involved in the Civil Rights Movement.
• 🗣️ The influence of Dr. King's sermons and the call to action resonated deeply with Lewis, inspiring him to join the fight for civil rights.
• 🙏 Lewis's commitment to nonviolence was rooted in his Christian faith and the teachings of Jesus, which he saw reflected in King's philosophy.
• 🤝 The power of community organizing and the importance of strategic planning in activism were highlighted through Lewis's experiences with sit-ins and Freedom Rides.
• 🇺🇸 Lewis believed in the transformative power of the vote as a nonviolent instrument for change within a democratic society.
• 👨‍🏫 He stressed the need to educate younger generations on nonviolent direct action and the philosophy of nonviolence to continue the fight for justice.
• 🕊️ Lewis's encounter with a former Klan member who sought to apologize exemplified the power of forgiveness and redemption in healing societal wounds.
• 🌱 His hope for the future is that he will be remembered as someone who tried to create a better society and world, liberating and freeing people.

Q & A

What was John Lewis's early life like in rural Alabama?

John Lewis grew up picking cotton on his family's farm in rural Alabama. His mother would strategize to pick cotton early in the morning when it was heavier with dew to earn more money.

How did John Lewis's mother influence his educational aspirations?

John Lewis's mother found a newspaper advertisement about a school in Nashville, Tennessee, for Black students. She encouraged him to apply, even though it meant he would leave the farm and not contribute labor.

What was John Lewis's initial reaction to the idea of attending a school in Nashville?

Initially, John Lewis wanted to attend Troy State, but after not hearing back from them, he wrote to Dr. King for help. Dr. King responded by sending him a bus ticket and inviting him to Montgomery.

How did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s sermons inspire John Lewis?

Dr. King's sermons, particularly 'Paul's Letter to American Christians,' resonated with John Lewis, inspiring him to respond to the call to action for civil rights.

What role did nonviolence play in John Lewis's activism?

Nonviolence was a central part of John Lewis's worldview, influenced by Dr. King and his Christian faith. He believed in respecting the dignity of every human being and not engaging in violence, even in the face of brutality.

How did John Lewis prepare for the Freedom Rides and other acts of civil disobedience?

John Lewis and others underwent rigorous training, including role-playing and social drama, to prepare for stressful situations and maintain a commitment to nonviolence.

What was the significance of the March on Washington for John Lewis?

As the youngest speaker at the March on Washington, John Lewis aimed to inspire a new generation. He felt a deep sense of purpose and determination when he saw the large crowd and knew he had to move forward.

How did John Lewis perceive the importance of voting rights in the civil rights movement?

John Lewis viewed the vote as the most powerful nonviolent tool in a democratic society and believed that it was crucial to make it easy for people to exercise this right.

What was John Lewis's motivation for entering politics?

John Lewis saw politics as a way to be a force for good and was encouraged by others to run for office. He believed in inspiring and encouraging people through political action.

How does John Lewis view the legacy of the civil rights movement and its ongoing relevance?

John Lewis believes that the tactics and techniques of the civil rights movement are still relevant and necessary, especially the philosophy and discipline of nonviolence, which he thinks should be taught to younger generations.

What does John Lewis hope his legacy will be in the future?

John Lewis hopes to be remembered as someone who tried to create a better society and world, liberating and freeing people, and moving them towards a better sense of humanity.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Call for Social Revolution and Unity

John Lewis emphasizes the importance of standing up for freedom and justice, regardless of race, and shares his early experiences of working on a cotton farm in Alabama. His mother's strategic approach to work and her encouragement to pursue education inspired him. Lewis's journey to activism began with a letter to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which led to a meeting and a life-changing invitation to Montgomery. The conversation highlights the power of one person's vision to effect change and the importance of unity and collective action.

05:01

📚 Embracing Nonviolence and the Journey to Activism

The paragraph delves into John Lewis's adoption of nonviolence as a core principle, influenced by Dr. King's teachings and his own Christian faith. It discusses the strategic planning behind the civil rights movement's actions, including the training in nonviolent resistance. Lewis recounts his experiences during the Freedom Rides, highlighting the courage and commitment required to endure violence and hatred without resorting to violence oneself. The narrative underscores the significance of preparation and the belief in the transformative power of love and forgiveness.

10:02

🗣️ Advocating for Redemption and Acknowledgement of Historical Wrongs

This section focuses on the concept of redemption and the need for societal acknowledgment of historical injustices like slavery and segregation. Lewis discusses the importance of confession and repentance, and the power of forgiveness as exemplified by a former Klan member's apology. The conversation also touches on the influence of civil rights leaders like Rosa Parks and Dr. King, and the lessons they imparted about the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity.

15:04

🔊 The Power of the Vote and the Legacy of Activism

John Lewis discusses the significance of the vote as a powerful tool in a democratic society and the sacrifices made by many to secure this right. He reflects on his role as the youngest speaker at the March on Washington and his determination to inspire future generations. The conversation includes Lewis's admiration for President Kennedy and his entry into politics as a means to be a force for good. He emphasizes the need to continue the fight for justice and the importance of strategic protest in the face of ongoing issues.

20:04

🕊️ The Legacy of Hope and the Continuation of the Fight for Justice

In the final paragraph, Lewis expresses his hope to be remembered as someone who worked towards creating a better society and world. Bryan Stevenson shares a moving encounter with a civil rights veteran, highlighting the physical sacrifices made in the fight for justice. The conversation concludes with a mutual expression of commitment to continue the struggle for justice, reflecting on the enduring impact of Lewis's life and work.

Keywords

💡Social Revolution

A social revolution refers to a fundamental change in societal institutions and social relationships. In the context of the video, it signifies the civil rights movement's efforts to challenge and transform the existing social order characterized by racial segregation and inequality. The script mentions Congressman John Lewis's involvement in this revolution, emphasizing the urgency and collective action required to achieve freedom and justice.

💡Nonviolence

Nonviolence is a principle and strategy for social change that rejects the use of violence and aggression. In the video, it is highlighted as a core philosophy embraced by John Lewis and other civil rights activists, inspired by figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The script illustrates this through Lewis's commitment to nonviolent direct action, even in the face of brutal opposition, as exemplified by his participation in sit-ins and Freedom Rides.

💡Redemption

Redemption in this context is the act of making up for past wrongs or the process of atonement. The video discusses the importance of acknowledging historical injustices and the power of individuals to change and seek forgiveness, as illustrated by the story of a former Ku Klux Klan member who apologized to John Lewis for past violence.

💡Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement was a struggle for social justice and equal rights for African Americans in the United States, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s. The video script references John Lewis's pivotal role in this movement, including his participation in events like the Freedom Rides and the March on Washington, which were instrumental in advancing legal and social equality.

💡Strategic Nonviolence

Strategic Nonviolence is the deliberate and thoughtful use of nonviolent methods to achieve specific social or political goals. The video emphasizes how activists like John Lewis were not only guided by moral principles but also strategic thinking in their choice of nonviolent tactics. This is evident in the discussions about the planning and training that went into actions like the Freedom Rides.

💡Racial Segregation

Racial segregation is the practice of separating people based on their race, often enforced by law or social custom. The video script discusses the struggle against racial segregation as a central theme, with John Lewis and other activists working to dismantle this system through protests, legal challenges, and legislative changes.

💡Voting Rights

Voting rights refer to the right of citizens to participate in the political process by voting. In the video, the importance of the vote as a nonviolent instrument for change is underscored, with John Lewis advocating for the protection and expansion of voting rights as a means to empower marginalized communities and promote social justice.

💡Activism

Activism is the act of advocating for, working towards, or supporting social, political, or environmental change. The video celebrates John Lewis's life as an activist, highlighting his commitment to social justice and his various roles in organizing protests, advocating for civil rights legislation, and inspiring future generations.

💡Repentance

Repentance is the act of feeling regret or remorse for one's actions and expressing a desire to make amends. In the video, the concept of repentance is tied to the broader theme of societal healing and reconciliation, as seen in the story of the former Klan member who seeks to make amends for his past actions.

💡Legacy

Legacy refers to the lasting impact or influence of an individual's life and work. The video script reflects on John Lewis's legacy, discussing how his commitment to nonviolence, civil rights, and social justice will be remembered and inspire future generations to continue the fight for a more just society.

💡Justice

Justice in this context means the principle of fairness and the rights of individuals to equal treatment under the law. Throughout the video, John Lewis's pursuit of justice is a recurring theme, as he and other activists work to challenge and change laws and societal norms that perpetuate inequality and discrimination.

Highlights

John Lewis emphasizes the importance of standing up for what is right and just.

Unity is stressed as John Lewis speaks about the need for all people to be treated as one.

The power of one person with a dream to effect change is highlighted.

Bryan Stevenson expresses his gratitude for John Lewis's impact on him and others.

John Lewis shares his upbringing in rural Alabama and the influence it had on his life.

The strategic nature of John Lewis's mother in providing for the family is discussed.

John Lewis's mother's encouragement to pursue education despite leaving the farm.

The significance of Dr. King's influence on John Lewis's life and activism.

John Lewis's experience with nonviolence and its role in his civil rights activism.

The importance of community organization and leadership in the civil rights movement.

The rigorous training in nonviolence and its impact on the activists.

John Lewis's account of the Freedom Rides and the violence faced.

The concept of redemption and forgiveness as John Lewis encounters a former member of the Klan.

John Lewis discusses the importance of voting rights and the sacrifices made for them.

Reflections on the March on Washington and the speech John Lewis gave there.

John Lewis's thoughts on entering politics as a force for good.

The need for continued activism and engagement in the face of social issues.

John Lewis's views on the current generation of leaders and the importance of conscience.

John Lewis's hopes for how he will be remembered in the future.

Bryan Stevenson shares a powerful story of a civil rights activist's scars as medals of honor.

Transcripts

Transcriber: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Camille Martínez

(Music)

(Voice-over) John Lewis: My friends, let us not forget

that we are involved in a serious social revolution.

We want our freedom, and we want it now.

(Voice-over) JL: When you see something that is not right or fair or just,

you have to say something, you have to do something.

(Voice-over) JL: It doesn't matter whether you're Black or white,

we're one people and one family.

(Cheers)

(Voice-over) JL: One person with a dream, with a vision,

can change things.

Bryan Stevenson: When people talk about you,

what do you want them to say?

[TED Legacy Project]

[Congressman John Lewis In conversation with Bryan Stevenson]

BS: Well, this is such a great honor for me to be in this room with you,

to have this conversation.

I can't tell you what it means to me to have this opportunity.

You represent something so precious to so many of us,

and I just wanted to start by thanking you for that,

for your willingness to wrap your arms around people like me

and to make me think that it's possible to do difficult things,

important things.

And I just want to start by asking you to talk a little bit

about that experience of growing up in rural Alabama

in the Black Belt of America

and how that cultivated this spirit that shaped your life and your vision.

I mean, you used to have to pick cotton on your family's farm.

JL: When I used to fuss as a young child,

I would complain, "Why this? Why that?"

And my mother would say, "Boy, it's the only thing we can do."

She said, "I know it's hard work, but what are we going to do?

We have to make a living."

But I was hoping

and almost praying for that day

when people wouldn't have to work so hard in the hot sun.

She was hoping also that things would be better,

much better for us as a people

and for my family.

My mother, she was always thinking ahead.

If we'd get up early and go and pick as much cotton as we could,

we would get more money,

because she knew the cotton would be heavier

'cause the dew would be on it.

So when it was weighed,

money would be increased.

BS: Your mother sounds really strategic.

JL: My dear mother,

one day, she came across a little newspaper in downtown Troy

that said something about a school in Nashville, Tennessee,

that Black students could attend.

BS: She encouraged you to apply for that,

even though that meant you'd be leaving the house, you'd be leaving the farm,

you would not be contributing that extra labor.

JL: Well, I was prepared and willing to go

to try to do what my folks called "doing better,"

to get an education.

But in the beginning, I wanted to attend Troy State.

BS: You wanted to desegregate Troy State.

JL: I submitted my application, my high school transcript.

I never heard a word from the school.

So I wrote a letter to Dr. King.

I didn't tell my mother, my father,

any of my sisters or brothers, any of my teachers.

I told him I needed his help.

He wrote me back

and sent me a round trip Greyhound bus ticket

and invited me to come to Montgomery to meet with him.

And I can never, ever forget it.

BS: You knew about Dr. King even before the boycott.

You had heard his sermon

the Apostle "[Paul's Letter] to American Christians."

It's the speech he gives to all the people in Montgomery

four days after Rosa Parks has been arrested.

At the end of the speech, he says,

one day, they're going to tell a story

about a group of people

in Montgomery, Alabama.

And then he says, of Black people who stood up for their rights,

and when they stood up for their rights, the whole world changed.

And you had an immediate response to that call to action.

JL: That message really appealed to me.

BS: Yeah.

JL: It was sort of a social gospel message.

BS: Yeah.

JL: I wanted to do what I could to make things better,

'cause when you see something that is not right or fair or just,

you have to say something.

You have to do something.

It's like a fire burning up in your bones,

and you cannot be silenced.

BS: That's right.

JL: My mother would have said to me, "Boy, don't get in trouble.

Don't get in trouble.

You can get hurt, you can get killed."

Dr. King and Rosa Parks and E.D. Nixon

and others that I read about at that time

and later met,

inspired me to get in what I call "good trouble,"

necessary trouble.

And I've been getting in trouble ever since --

the sit-ins, the Freedom Ride ...

BS: You went to Nashville

and began the work of learning nonviolence.

When did nonviolence become an essential part of your worldview

and the theology and the activism that you wanted to create?

JL: Growing up, I wanted to be a minister.

I felt that what Dr. King was saying in his speeches

was in keeping with the teaching of Jesus.

So I readily accepted this idea --

BS: Yeah. Yeah.

JL: ... of nonviolence, the philosophy and the discipline of nonviolence.

We were taught to respect the dignity and the worth

of every human being

and never give up on anyone;

to try to reach them with kindness,

with hope and faith and love.

So you may beat me, you may arrest me and throw me in jail,

but I'm not going to engage in violence.

I'm going to respect you as a human being.

BS: And I'm wondering whether that is what gave you the courage

to endure some of that brutality.

Because a lot of people talk about nonviolence.

They talk about the theology of love.

But when you're on a bus

in Anniston, Alabama,

or in Montgomery, Alabama, as you've been,

surrounded by that mob and surrounded by that hate,

surrounded by people who you know are prepared to do violent things,

it's a different dynamic.

JL: Yeah. I accepted that.

Dr. King taught us to love.

It's in keeping with my Christian faith

to love everybody

and never hate,

because the hate was too heavy a burden to bear.

BS: But it seems like you were strategic, too.

You all thought a lot about when and where to go someplace.

It wasn't just, "Oh, here's an opportunity here, let's just do it.

JL: We just didn't jump up one day and decide that we would go to Selma.

We checked places out.

Wherever there was a possibility of leadership,

of creating a viral organization,

whether you had students,

people who were prepared to get out and work and organize.

And that's what we did.

We did everything that we could

to bring attention

to a situation that was not good for people

and then we could organize people.

There were religious leaders

teachers and lawyers and others in these communities and neighborhoods.

There would come a time through the training

and accepting nonviolence,

the philosophy as a way of living,

as a way of life,

that you become prepared.

BS: It was a lot of rigorous training

to be prepared to be in those very stressful situations

and maintain that commitment to nonviolence,

and I don't think people appreciate

how much work went into preparing people for that.

JL: Well, it was something that we became committed to,

a chance to go through role playing,

social drama,

pretending that you were beating someone

or knocking someone down,

someone's blowing smoke in your face

and calling you all types of names,

training people how to be disciplined

and not giving up.

On the Freedom Rides in May of 1961,

when I was 21 years old,

leaving Washington, DC, for the first time

to go on the Freedom Ride --

I thought we were going to die.

As a matter of fact,

I thought I saw death,

but I believe God Almighty kept me here for a reason.

BS: It's a powerful, powerful testimony,

the picture of you, and your head is bloodied,

this willingness to get back on a bus to do it again.

And they interviewed you after some of the sit-ins,

and what was interesting to me about the way you talked about it

is you were very clear.

You said, we're not just trying to do this for the Black people in Nashville.

We're trying to do this for everybody,

because they may not realize it yet, but what they're doing is wrong,

and I wouldn't be the Christian that I claim to be,

I wouldn't be the good person that I claimed to be,

if I didn't try to help them

get past this wrong thing they're doing.

I think people want redemption.

Our faith tradition,

we understand the power of redemption.

We preach about it,

and we understand that there has to be confession,

there has to be repentance.

But collectively, as a society, we haven't really embraced that

in this country.

We haven't really wanted to acknowledge the legacy of slavery

and the history of lynching and segregation.

People want to skip over the apology part,

and you still see these Confederate flags and these symbols of resistance.

It seems to me part of what is so urgent right now

is that we get people to have the courage to say,

"You know, this was wrong, and we have to reject that."

But you have seen that redemption in ways that I think has been

so extraordinary.

JL: A few short years ago,

one of the members of the Klan

who beat me and beat my seatmate,

in a little town

called Rock Hill, South Carolina,

left us lying in a pool of blood ...

Many years later,

one member of the Klan

and his son

came to my office in Washington,

and he said, "I've been a member of the Klan.

I'm one of the people that beat you and left you bloody.

I want to apologize."

His son started crying, then he started crying.

He came up with his son to hug me.

I hugged them back,

and I saw this gentleman three other times.

It's the power of the way of love, of forgiveness,

to admit it and say, "I'm changed," and move on.

BS: It does seem to me that if we can show people

that on the other side of repentance,

on the other side of confession, on the other side of acknowledgment,

there's something beautiful,

like what you experienced with that Klan member,

then maybe they'll find their courage

to stand up and talk about the wrongfulness of these things.

And I've been curious

how you would talk about what you learned

from your time with Rosa Parks and Dr. King,

what they taught you, what they left you with

that has allowed you to do the work you've done.

JL: There's something about these individuals,

they touch me, they reach me.

If it hadn't been for E.D. Nixon

or Rosa Parks,

Martin Luther King, Jr,

Reverend Ralph Abernathy

and so many others,

I don't know what would have happened to me.

I could have been lost.

But for Martin Luther King, Jr, to ...

sent me a round trip Greyhound bus ticket

and invited me to come to Montgomery to meet with him,

my first Baptist church --

it's impossible,

impossible

for a poor, barefooted boy

to dream that one day,

he would meet Martin Luther King, Jr.

I remember so well when he said,

"Are you the boy from Troy?

Are you John Lewis?"

And I said,

"Dr. King, I am John Robert Lewis."

And he called me "the boy from Troy."

"How is the boy from Troy doing?"

And sometimes, he would say things like,

"John, do you still preach?"

And I would say,

"Yes, Dr. King, when I'm taking a shower so no one can hear me."

BS: (Laughs)

JL: And he would laugh.

I think when he was assassinated,

when he died,

something died in all of us.

If he had lived -- he was a very young man --

maybe our country would be much better

and the world community would be better off.

BS: We were talking earlier about those critical moments,

1964, the passage of the Civil Rights Act,

the Voting Rights Act in 1965,

and it seems like our focus was on ending the violations of rights

and less on remedying this long history of violations

and what it would take to repair all the damage that has been done.

And today I'm thinking,

in addition to no longer denying Black people the right to vote,

maybe these states

should have done something reparational, should have done something remedial.

They should have said, "You know what,

we're going to automatically register every Black person to vote."

JL: The vote is the most powerful nonviolent instrument or tool

that we have in a democratic society,

and we must make it easy and simple for people to use it.

The people who gave their very lives --

BS: Yes.

JL: ... people who took the beatings and suffered

so we have a right to know what is in the food that we eat --

BS: Yes.

JL: ... what is in the water we drink or the air we breathe.

BS: You were the youngest speaker at the March on Washington in 1963,

and you were very eloquent

and you were very compelling.

JL: I had worked on the speech with some of the staffers

of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee,

but I was determined

to inspire young people,

another generation.

And when I looked out and saw that sea of humanity,

I said to myself, "This is it.

I must go forward."

I tell you,

it came together and we worked, all of us, very hard

on getting the Lord's cry out on the Mall that day.

But it went so well,

the president, President Kennedy,

invited us down to the White House after the march was over,

and he stood in the door of the Oval Office greeting us

and beaming like a proud father,

and he kept saying to each one of us, "You did a good job. You did a good job."

And when he got to Dr. King, he said, "You did a good job,

and you had a dream."

That was my last time seeing President Kennedy.

BS: Wow.

JL: I admired him.

BS: Yeah.

JL: There was something about the man that was so inspiring.

BS: Yeah. Yeah.

You talked about how he and Robert Kennedy were an influence to get into politics.

I know you first ran in the '70s,

and then you ran again in the '80s.

I'm curious -- what motivated you to make that shift?

JL: I saw in politics that you could be a force for good.

So I was motivated to run for office,

and people started encouraging me, "You should run for something."

And I made a decision.

I don't think I changed that much.

I think I'm the same sane person.

BS: (Laughs)

I said what I want to say

and, for the most part, I do what I want to do.

I think you have to be a force for good --

BS: Yeah. Yeah.

JL: ... to inspire people, to encourage people.

BS: I was so moved when you organized the protests around gun violence,

and I'm wondering how you think we should be teaching people

what it means to be hopeful.

How do you think about communicating that

to both your colleagues in the Congress and another generation of leaders?

JL: You may get down, you may get knocked down,

but you get up.

You keep moving, you keep pressing on.

That was part of the civil rights movement,

a new day, a better day was gonna come,

but we had to help that day come.

We couldn't be quiet,

couldn't be silent.

We have to be engaged

in creating a way out of no way.

BS: Do you think there are strategies that we've abandoned

that we need to pick back up

to confront the issues that we're looking at today?

JL: I think there's so many tactics

and techniques

that we've sort of abandoned

that we need to go back

and pick up these techniques and tactics

and use them.

We need to teach people,

especially our young people.

We talk to grade school students and high school students

and college students

to learn to embrace the philosophy

and the discipline of nonviolence,

how to engage in nonviolent direct action.

We need it now more than ever before.

BS: I think you've brought into our political culture

this spirit of activism, this spirit of strategic protest,

a willingness to even occasionally be disruptive.

You haven't attended all of the inaugurations of presidents

when you've felt like there were issues around the legitimacy of those elections,

and I see a new generation of politicians

that seem to embrace some aspects of that,

and I'm wondering whether you think

that the kind of modeling you've done

is going to be part of your legacy that's important to you

as a politician.

JL: I've been so impressed

with this new breed of young men and young women

that are coming into elected positions.

It's not just at the national level but also at the local level.

And I think we, now more than ever before,

need men and women of conscience

as judges,

especially on the federal level,

but also at the state and local level,

to say, "We've got to mend.

We've got to make up."

BS: Yeah.

JL: And people don't have 100 years to make up.

We need to do it and do it now.

BS: You've become somebody who has had such an impact on the world.

When people talk about you 50 years from now, 100 years from now,

what do you want them to say?

How you want to be thought of, how you want to be talked about?

JL: My hope -- I don't think I would have much to say about it,

but it would be:

he tried to create a better society,

a better world,

helping to liberate and free people,

helping to save people

and move people to a different and better sense of humanity.

BS: I have met people who worked with you.

There are so many whose names have never really been known,

but I encounter them every now and then, because I get to live in Alabama.

And I talk about a man I met who was in a church.

I was giving a talk, and he was in the back.

He was in a wheelchair,

and he was staring at me the whole time I was giving this talk,

and he had this stern, almost angry look on his face.

And when I finished my talk, people came up.

They were very nice and appropriate,

but that older Black man in a wheelchair just kept staring.

And then he finally wheels himself to the front,

and when he came up to me, he said, "Do you know what you were doing?"

And I just stood there.

And then he asked me again, "Do you know what you're doing?"

And I mumbled something. I don't even remember what I said.

And he asked me one last time, "Do you know what you're doing?

Because I'm going to tell you what you're doing."

He said, "You're beating the drum for justice.

You keep beating the drum for justice."

And I was so moved.

I was also relieved,

because I just didn't know what was about to happen.

But then he said, "Come here, come here, come here."

And he pulled me by my jacket, and he pulled me down close to him,

and he turned his head, and he said,

"You see this scar I have right here behind my right ear?

I got that scar in Greene County, Alabama, in 1963,

working with C.T. Vivian."

JL: Yeah, Greene County.

BS: Then he turned his head.

He said, "You see this cut down here?

I got that in Philadelphia, Mississippi

trying to register people to vote."

And then he said, "You see this bruise? That's my dog spot.

I got that in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1965 during the Children's Crusade."

And then he said, "People look at me, they think I'm some old man

covered with cuts and bruises and scars, but I'm going to tell you something.

These are not my cuts.

These are not my bruises. These are not my scars."

He said, "These are my medals of honor."

And I am sitting here sitting next to you,

and I still see the scars,

and I know that there are the bruises,

and I know that there are the cuts,

and yet you are still talking about love and redemption and justice

and inspiring people like me.

And I just want you to know, I don't think there's an American living

that is more honored,

more representative of the great values of this nation,

of the hope of this nation,

than you,

and I just cannot tell you how thrilled and privileged I am

to have this opportunity and to have this opportunity to share,

and I want you to know

I am going to keep fighting.

A lot of us are going to keep fighting,

and you have caused us to believe that we cannot rest until justice comes.

And I want you to thank you for that.

JL: Wish you well.

BS: Absolutely, my friend. Absolutely. Bless you.

JL: OK. Bless you, brother.

BS: Thank you. Thank you.

[Congressman John Lewis February 21, 1940 - July 17, 2020]

[Rest in Peace]