John Lewis

A leader in the fight for civil rights and a politician, John Lewis (1940-2020) brought hope to countless Americans with his commitment to fairness and equality and with his optimism and courage. Born and raised in rural Alabama, Lewis heard a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King broadcast on the radio when he was a teenager that helped inspire him to become involved with the civil rights movement.

Freedom is not a state; it is an act

As a seminarian and college student, Lewis organized sit-ins and boycotts, following a philosophy of nonviolence. He adhered to this philosophy throughout his life. Lewis was at the center of the civil rights movement as a Freedom Rider, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, one of the organizers of the Selma to Montgomery marches, and a speaker at the 1963 March on Washington.

I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe

From 1970 to 1977, Lewis headed up the Voter Education Project, helping register four million minority voters during his tenure. First elected a U.S. Representative from Atlanta, Georgia, in 1986, Lewis served 17 terms. In Congress he fought for voters’ rights and human rights, was a Democratic Party leader, and was described by colleagues as “the conscience of the Congress.” While a congressman, Lewis was made a Mason at sight at H. R. Butler Lodge No. 23, PHA, in Atlanta in 1999. He received the 33° from the United Supreme Council at Atlanta in 2011 and was a member of the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. As an activist, legislator, and Freemason, Lewis imagined and worked to bring about a better world for all people.

Photo Caption: Congressman John Lewis, 2020. Michael Shane Neal. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Gift of Jeffery and Cindy Loring in memory of Congressman John Lewis. © Michael Shane Neal.