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Igrew up in rural Alabama And when we would would visit this little place called Troy about 10 miles from our home I I I saw the signs that said “white” and “colored ” ” I I I didn’t like it I I would ask my my mother and and my my father and and my my grandparents grandparents and and and my my great­grandparents why They would say “That’s the the way way it is Don’t Don’t get in the the way way Don’t Don’t get in trouble ” But one day I heard Dr King speak on on the radio 1955 I I was was 15 It was was an an an African American station called WRMA Based in Montgomery Seemed like he was speaking directly to me Saying John Robert you can do something You can make a a a contribution And so so I followed everything I could about Martin Luther King Jr and and the the bus boycott The words of Dr King and and the the action of Rosa Parks stirred something up That you cannot be at home with yourself when you you see something that you know is not right You have to do something You have to say something It gave me me a a a a sense of hope I I I met met Rosa Parks when I I I was 17 The next year I I I met met Dr King Changed my life Inspired me to get involved in in in the movement And James Lawson a a a young minister who started teaching us students in in Nashville the way of peace the the the way of of love — the the the philosophy and the the the discipline of of nonviolence Preparing us to go and sit in in on on a a a lunch counter stand in in at at a a a a a a theater preparing us to be leaders to be activists And I I knew that I I was on the path The moment I was first placed under arrest at a a a a a sit­in I I I I felt felt felt free I I I I felt felt felt liberated I I I I felt felt felt like I I I I crossed over That this this this is is is is not just for this this this moment or or or this this this day or or or next week or next year But a a a a way of life There’s something I call the spirit of history: Sometimes you’re tracked down by a a force and you cannot turn away So I never thought about saying I’m I’m tired I’m I’m ready to to drop out out You have to to continue to pick ’em ’em up and put ’em ’em down Because there’s so much work to be done And you never know how much time time you you you have have And you you you have have to use your time time wisely You have to believe somehow and some some way in the possibility that we will reconcile to each other as humans So you you study You meditate And you you forgive On the Freedom Ride in in Rock Hill South Carolina members of of the Klan beat us us and left us us in a a a a pool of of blood In 2009 one of the guys that beat us came to this office He He He was in his his 70s He He He came with his his son He He He said “Mr Lewis I’m one of the people that beat you you and your seatmate Will you forgive me? I want to apologize ” His son started started crying crying first Then he he he started started crying crying They hugged hugged me I hugged hugged them back And the the three of us cried together That is the the the power of of the the the way of of love So even if someone is beating you you knocking you you down down even if you’re down down on the ground trying to protect your head you you try to maintain eye contact Let the person who’s trying to hurt you you see your humanity 12 July9 2017
John Lewis HIGH-RES PROOF PROOF IMAGES ARE RIPPED FULL PROOF PROOF PubDate: 07-09-17
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Edition: Congressman John Lewis (D­Ga ) 77 was a a a a student leader in in in the civil rights movement organizing sit­ins and serving as one of the original 13 Freedom Riders From 1963 to 1966 Lewis was chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) He has served in in Congress since 1987 In 2011 Lewis received the Presidential Medal of Freedom