Rep. John Lewis, Civil Rights Icon Who Marched With Martin Luther King, Has Died

Democratic Georgia Congressman and civil rights pioneer John Lewis passed away Friday at the age of 80 in Atlanta, Georgia. Lewis had been receiving home hospice care for pancreatic cancer.

Lewis was a leader of the civil rights movement during the 1960s who marched with Martin Luther King. Committed to a philosophy of nonviolence, Lewis became the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1963.

"We all recognize the fact that if any radical social, political and economic changes are to take place in our society," Lewis said during the speech, "the people, the masses, must bring them about."

Lewis suffered a fractured skull after being attacked by state police during a demonstration for Black voting rights in Alabama in 1965. Known as "Bloody Sunday," the march and the ensuing violence are noted for accelerating the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

In 1985, Lewis was elected to the House of Representatives for Georgia's 5th District.

In a speech, Lewis told the graduating class of Bates University in 2016 that King had inspired him to "stand up, to speak up, and speak out. And I got in the way, I got in trouble—good trouble, necessary trouble."

In 2020, a documentary about Lewis' life entitled John Lewis: Good Trouble was released. Lewis said in the film, "My greatest fear is that one day we may wake up and our democracy is gone."

Lawmakers and civil rights activists alike mourned Lewis' passing.

In a statement released Friday, the Congressional Black Caucus said, "The world has lost a legend; the civil rights movement has lost an icon, the City of Atlanta has lost one of its most fearless leaders, and the Congressional Black Caucus has lost our longest serving member. The Congressional Black Caucus is known as the Conscience of the Congress. John Lewis was known as the conscience of our caucus."

Martin Luther King's daughter, Bernice, said that Lewis "served God and humanity well."

"Farewell, sir," King tweeted. "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."

"In the Congress, John Lewis was revered and beloved on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol," wrote House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday. "All of us were humbled to call Congressman Lewis a colleague and are heartbroken by his passing. May his memory be an inspiration that moves us all to, in the face of injustice, make 'good trouble, necessary trouble.'"

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of John Lewis," tweeted the NAACP. "His life-long mission for justice, equality and freedom left a permanent impression on our nation and world. The NAACP extends our sincerest condolences to his family, and we send prayers of comfort and strength to all."

Martin Luther King III tweeted, "John Lewis was an American treasure. He gave a voice to the voiceless, and he reminded each of us that the most powerful nonviolent tool is the vote. Our hearts feel empty without our friend, but we find comfort knowing that he is free at last."