Civil Rights Activist John Lewis’ Casket Returned To Selma, Alabama One Last Time
Photo Courtesy of Brynn Anderson/AP Photo
The body of the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis crossed the iconic Edmund Pettus Bridge once more before being laid to rest.
The bridge, located in Selma, Alabama, has historical significance for John Lewis and the Civil Rights Movement. In 1965, Lewis led a group of over 600 unarmed demonstrators across the bridge and into an armed Alabama police unit. The group marched in response to the death of a Black protestor a month prior.
The objective of the demonstrations was to march from Selma to Montgomery to demand equal opportunity when it came to Black people voting in Alabama against the Jim Crow laws. The 54-mile journey stopped shortly with the presence of state troopers with batons, tear gas, and whips. This situation is similar to the protests that are happening throughout the country, specifically in Portland, Oregon right now.
Also known as “Bloody Sunday,” this march was near the beginning of Lewis’ leadership career in fighting for the civil rights of the Black community. Befriending Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Lewis’ strategy in achieving equal rights was based on nonviolence. On Sunday, his coffin was led by a horse-drawn wagon across the bridge in remembrance of his activism.
Lewis also become the director of the Voters Education Project that brought millions of new minority voters into elections. 22 years after the march, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5th congressional district. The extensive list of Lewis’ achievements all center around advocating for government reform and community preservation. He’s received numerous awards from respected officials like former President Barak Obama and the late Senator John McCain.
According to Kim Chandler, Lewis died at the age of 80 after he was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Lewis was admired by many for his perseverance through a fight that seemed impossible at times. Although the marches occurring today may not be for the right to vote, it’s still to achieve the same social equality that white Americans have.
In a New York Times article, Rick Rojas mentioned that “Mr. Lewis had been heartened by the younger activists leading the Black Lives Matter effort.” It’s clear to see that as generations go on, Black Americans are constantly fighting a battle to be valued and represented in this country.