Thread: A painful day for humanity, John Lewis (1940-2020) has gone to the angels. He was a giant of human rights, a man of God, of honour & righteousness. He led the march from Selma. Lewis’ bravery, humanity & generosity will be missed, especially by his Irish friends.

Lewis was born the son of poor sharecroppers to a large family in Alabama. He first heard MLK aged 15 & met him 3y later. His awareness of the crime of racism was catalysed by the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

He went to a Baptist theological seminary & took a BA in Theology & Religion at Fisk. He also staged sit ins at lunch counters in Nashville where Black people were not allowed sit. (Lewis with MLK)

1961 saw him become one of the first Freedom Riders. For the temerity of 6 Blacks & 7 Whites taking buses together they were beaten violently, arrested many times & their lives at risk from mobs & police. The Federal Govt did not protect or guarantee their rights.

In 1963-66 he became Chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee That year he was one of the ‘Big Six’ who organised the March on Washington where MLK gave the I Have a Dream oration. Lewis addressed the crowd but his question, which side the govt was on, was censored.

He is best known for Selma. To get an idea how bad racism was, although half the population of Dallas county was Black just 2% were registered voters. African-Americans faced almost impossible hurdles & intimidation in order to register & so most could not. Prejudice was endemic.

The Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr visited Selma in January 1965 to protest & was arrested. He wrote from gaol ‘this is Selma, Alabama. There are more negroes in jail with me, than there are on the voting rolls’.

Civil Rights leaders decided to walk from Selma to Montgomery. 600 set off on Sunday 7th March. The marchers were led by John Lewis, SNCC Chairman & later congressman & Hosea Williams representing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (front of march)

The first sign of trouble was seen from the Pettus Bridge (named for a Confederate General & reputed KKK leader) on the outskirts of Selma, where the full might of the Alabama State lay in wait. Pictured is John Lewis on the Bridge.

The local sheriff, Jim Clark (pictured), had ordered that all white men over 21 should report to the Court House to form a volunteer force. They were issued with tubing wrapped in barbed wire, tear gas, bull whips & nightsticks.

The Civil Rights marchers were confronted with a wall of State Troopers, behind were the Sheriff’s deputies & volunteers - some mounted on horses, & a crowd of white onlookers waving Confederate flags & hungry for violence.

The marchers were told that they were an unlawful assembly & had to disperse. Williams approached the forces of the State. He asked to speak with Major John Cloud, who was in charge. Cloud said ‘I have nothing further to say to you’.

Williams & Lewis stood their ground peacefully & prayed. The troops advanced & charged. Then the beatings, the tear gas & the terror began. Uniformed aggressors struck out at men, women & children or chased them down on horseback. The marchers did not fight back. It was barbarous

John Lewis was beaten so badly his skull was fractured. Before he was taken to hospital he appealed, via the television cameras, for the president, Lyndon B Johnson, to intervene. Photo shows Lewis being bludgeoned by a State Trooper.

Such unwarranted attacks on black people had happened often before, but what was different about Bloody Sunday was that they appeared on TV screens & newspapers across America & the world. Public reaction was shock.

That night as 50 million Americans watched Judgement at Nuremberg on ABC, it was broken into by the news The evil of the Nazis was suddenly contrasted with that of Alabama. Many saw the connection & commented on it. They could no longer claim ignorance of the injustice of racism.

Two days later Dr MLK Jr sought to repeat the march. However when he saw the Governor’s troops again at the Bridge he turned back, reluctant to lead the people into violence or death.

A third march, on March 21st, approved by the Federal Court & under the protection of the Federalised National Guard walked from Selma to Montgomery. Some 25,000 reached the steps of the Alabama Capitol.

The President, Lyndon B Johnson, had ordered the National Guard to protect people against their own Governor, police & vigilantes. He was to employ the pressure raised by Bloody Sunday to ensure the passing of the Voting Rights Act (1965) on August 6th.

Lewis continued the struggle based on getting Black voters onto the rolls. He was director of the VEP (1970-7). He ran for Congress (1977) but lost; then the Carter Admin hired him to run programmes. 1981-6 saw him on Atlanta City Council. He was elected to Congress 1988-2018.

The Congressman was one of the most liberal in the House & was known as the Conscience of the Congress. He was against the Gulf War, NAFTA & Welfare Cuts. He was a serious critic of the Iraq War. He boycotted the Bush & Trump inaugurations & wanted gun control.

The Congressman was also the key figure, after years of dogged campaigning, to have the National Museum of African American History & Culture established by law. . @NMAAHC Website: https://nmaahc.si.edu 

Lewis has also been a major campaigner for human rights & for LGBTQI - long before it was fashionable to do so. Here’s an interview with him where he talks about rights: http://outinjersey.net/civil-rights-icon-congressman-john-lewis-on-lgbt-equality/

Congressman Lewis was a friend to Ireland & greatly admired. In 2014 he delivered the 4th Iveagh House Commemorative Lecture in Dublin (link)

A light has gone out in the West. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam (that his soul might be on the right hand of God)

https://www.dfa.ie/our-role-policies/our-work/casestudiesarchive/2014/april/john-lewis-iveagh-house-lecture/