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In response to calls to rename E. Pettus Bridge for John Lewis, SNCC vet Judy Richardson says: "I hope that we don’t make this struggle about just one man, as consistently courageous as he was. There were so many local leaders in Selma (can we talk about Boyntons) or. . " THREAD.
"…all the young people who encouraged their community to join that struggle. To make it about one person would be to forget all that Ms. Baker taught us…and that we reflected in all the organizing we SNCC folks did. Freedom Bridge might be better name." https://snccdigital.org/people/ella-baker/
"Someone on MSNBC just said: 'It is very important to recognize that John Lewis was not just a civil rights, non-violent pioneer. That JL risked his life countless times to bring CRM forward. Most people engaged in non-violent protest did not encounter that risk.'.. ?! " -- JR
". . . Say what? So… forget Ms. Hamer… and June Johnson… and Amzie Moore… and Herbert Lee. . . and Mama Dolly… and… and…? I’m just sayin’…" -- Judy Richardson
Read about Mrs. Hamer below & find dozens more SNCC profiles at @snccdigital (by SNCC) https://snccdigital.org/people/fannie-lou-hamer/
Read about Mrs. Hamer below & find dozens more SNCC profiles at @snccdigital (by SNCC) https://snccdigital.org/people/fannie-lou-hamer/
If you see/hear media reports on Rep. John Lewis with no mention of SNCC, write or call to ask for correction. (Has already been fixed in NYT.) Critically important that history of activists be taught in context. Recommend @snccdigital link, by SNCC vets. https://snccdigital.org/people/john-lewis/
Common media/textbook approach to isolate individual from movement is to refer to "John Lewis's speech" at 1963 March on Washington rather than "SNCC speech delivered by John Lewis." SNCC writing & editing done collectively. Don't erase the organizing. https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/sncc-speech-march-on-washington
Key way to honor legacy & continue work of Rep. John Lewis, Rev. C.T. Vivian, & more is to teach about long history of voter suppression (like #tdih in next tweet) and engage young people in fight for voting rights today. See free 3-lesson unit below. https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/teaching-voting-rights-struggle/
#tdih 1946 WWII vet Maceo Snipes was murdered after he cast his vote in Georgia Democratic Primary. KKK shot him. He walked 3 miles with his mother to hospital, white doctor delayed treatment for 6 hrs & refused needed blood transfusion. Snipes died. 
https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/murder-of-maceo-snipes/
https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/murder-of-maceo-snipes/
