Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights icon who began pushing for racial justice in the Jim Crow south, has

[George II]

Source: USA Today

WASHINGTON – Rep. John R. Lewis, the civil rights icon whose fight for racial justice began in the Jim Crow south and ended in the halls of Congress, died Friday night.

The Georgia lawmaker had been suffering from Stage IV pancreatic cancer since December. He was 80.

The son of Alabama sharecroppers, Lewis served in Congress for more than three decades, pushing the causes he championed as an original Freedom Rider challenging segregation, discrimination and injustice in the Deep South – issues reverberating today in the Black Lives Matter movement.

He was an organizer of the March on Washington in 1963 along with Martin Luther King Jr., a seminal moment in the Civil Rights movement that led to the passage of voting rights for Blacks two years later.



Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/17/rep-john-lewis-civil-rights-icon-original-freedom-rider-has-died/795340002/

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More:

Link to tweet

Can't believe I'm bawling here....

[Scalded Nun]

1. This is just so sad

[Zoonart]

2. The first time in all of this

horror that I have cried. I am crushed right now.

[orleans]

28. ...

[greyl]

3. Never wanted to make history, only wanted to change things.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[George II]

10. Thanks for the photographs. Just this afternoon we were watching a PBS show about RFK....

...in the 1960s, and John Lewis was a big part of it.

A great American who did so much more for not only the Civil Rights movement, but America.

So glad he had a chance to stand on Black Lives Matter Plaza a couple of weeks ago.

[FM123]

4. No! This just can not be....

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Cross gently, Representative John Lewis. May you rest in peace.

[Bev54]

30. His torch must be picked up by some

of the young, time to cross that bridge again.

[bdamomma]

75. Amen

to that

[tblue37]

6. A great man and a hero. nt

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis dies at home at 80 after receiving care for cancer

CIVIL rights icon John Lewis has died at the age of 80, reports claim.

The Georgia congressman passed away on Friday in Atlanta after receiving hospice care to treat pancreatic cancer.

Daily Beast reported the news of Lewis' death on Twitter late Friday night.

More to follow...


Credit: Getty Images - Getty

[NurseJackie]

47. Time to rename that bridge: "John Robert Lewis Memorial Bridge"

[Rhiannon12866]

83. Long past time, actually.

But better late than never.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. One of the greatest men of our time.

Such sad news.

[cayugafalls]

9. Such an icon.

Rest in Power.

[highplainsdem]

11. A true hero. This is such a great loss. Heartbreaking news.

[Cha]

12. I'm crying, too.. John Lewis meant so much

to all of us who care about Equal Rights for ALL!

[DoBotherMe]

41. Here's something to cheer you

Happy Mr Lewis
[link:http://

|

I'm going to miss that beautiful man

[Cha]

42. I know.. such a Beautiful soul..

Mahlao for this, DBM.


At least we have him on Vid and a lot of tweets!

[Grammy23]

61. Thank you for posting this fun and happy video of Congressman Lewis.

I shared it on Facebook because we need to remember him this way, too. “Nothing can bring me down!” What a great mantra to hold in life.

[bdamomma]

77. Wow

gonna miss him, he's there with Elijah now. Probably talking up a storm.

[Rhiannon12866]

13. Rep. John Lewis Dies at 80, Source Says

A Democrat from Atlanta, he won his U.S. House seat in 1986

Civil rights icon and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who has been receiving hospice care, passed away at the age of 80, a source has told NBC News.

Lewis, a Democrat, played a key role in the civil rights movement and marched with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965 in Selma, Alabama. He was the youngest and last survivor of the Big Six civil rights activists, led by King Jr., who engineered one of the greatest moral protests in history.

Lewis was best known for leading some 600 protesters in the 1965 Bloody Sunday march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. At the head of the march, Lewis was knocked to the ground and beaten by Alabama state troopers. His skull was fractured. Televised images forced the country's attention to racial oppression in the South. A Democrat from Atlanta, he won his U.S. House seat in 1986.


https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/national-international/rep-john-lewis-dies-at-80/2470531/

[Maraya1969]

14. Bless his family. Bless all of us who have lost him.

May his death bring a sliver of the hope that his live gave us.

[Hoyt]

15. The greatest. RIP.

[George II]

16. Just five weeks ago:

[greyl]

19. damn

[dalton99a]

20. Unbelievable

[Judi Lynn]

33. It appeared he and Mayor Muriel Bowser were there the moment the paint was dry.

It seemed to be such an important moment when it happened and they stood together.

May this hero rest in peace.

[hamsterjill]

17. One of the good guys.

I’m so sorry that we’ve lost him when we needed him very much. His suffering is over. My sympathies to his family and friends.

[George II]

18. Two great Americans:

[GReedDiamond]

25. Two of the GREATEST...nt

[FailureToCommunicate]

52. ...

[still_one]

21. I am very sad by this

[Docreed2003]

22. An American hero and icon

May he rest in power, May his legacy inspire us, and May we have the strength to carry on his fight

[appalachiablue]

23. John Lewis was a giant, peace now.

So very sad.

[greatauntoftriplets]

24. Noooooooooooooooooooo.

[ellie]

26. Rest in power

Mr. Lewis.

[robleb]

27. Free at Last...

Free at Last, thank God almighty
I'm free at last!

Rest in Peace gentle soul and voice of justice.

[orleans]

29. ...

[BigmanPigman]

31. I am glad he lived long enough to see Conf. statues and flags finally come down.

[George II]

32. Some images of Congressman Lewis:

[electric_blue68]

35. Thanks for these photos!

[Progressive Jones]

34. RIP Mr. Lewis. You were a great American. nt

[electric_blue68]

36. An American Hero of Service and Spirit...

I was listening to Brian Williams. Walking in apt I missed actual news but then BW spoke of him in the past tense....
Oh, no! 😥

Rest in Peace Rep Lewis.
We'll continue to bend that Arc towards Justice.

Strength to all grieving.

[MichMan]

37. ICON

[SunSeeker]

38. He made the world a better place.

I hope we live up to his ideals some day.

[niyad]

39. Requiescat in pace, brave warrior.

Tears here as well.

[democrank]

40. John Lewis....

hero

[BumRushDaShow]

43. This is so heartbreaking and what a loss

We have lost 2 civil rights icons in 2 days. But at least now we are seeing is that what they fought and suffered for DID bear fruit. They at least got to see how their sacrifices produced what we see today - something that didn't even happen to the extent that we see now, when they were marching in the '50s and '60s.

We are literally having daily nationwide marches for justice - from the biggest cities to the smallest towns, from sea to shining sea, and we are seeing the same globally. Symbols and systems of oppression are crumbling from the ground-shaking roar of people who have had enough.

R.I.P. Rep. Lewis and thank you for your tireless service.

[PunkinPi]

44. Rest in power, good sir.

Link to tweet

Rep. John Lewis speaking at the march on Washington 54 years ago during the civil rights movement. He was only 23 years old at the time.

Listen to his words and you'd think he gave this speech today.

REST IN PEACE

[Pachamama]

82. +1000000

Thank you for posting

John Lewis and his message and soul live on

[MissMillie]

45. RIP Congressman

Thank you for your tireless fight.

[NurseJackie]

46. I'm heartbroken. Rest in Peace.

[whistler162]

48. SAD...

Now this is a more reliable source than a twit tweeting about something.

[paleotn]

49. A true American hero.

I mourn the passing of a great one.

[tavernier]

50. I've shared my story here before about how privileged I was

to sit in on one of representative JL’s talks at a convention years ago. Many “celebrity politicians” spoke that day, but none of them connected with the audience like this simple, lovely, human man. You will be greatly missed, my friend.

[Go-Rebels]

51. Not one mention of his death on OANN.

Maybe that’s a good thing. I can only imagine the responses.

[George II]

55. You follow OANN?

[DesertRat]

74. How do you know what OANN is covering?

Welcome to DU.

[mcar]

53. 2020 sucks

[OnlinePoker]

54. Silent thoughts for a great man.

[Talitha]

56. R.I.P.

[Politicub]

57. Rest in Power

[Wawannabe]

84. Nice

BLM!

[ck4829]

58. RIP

[gademocrat7]

59. Rest In Peace, Congressman John Lewis.

We loved so much. Atlanta will carry on your good trouble.

[iluvtennis]

60. Rest in Power John Lewis - you did so much good for this nation.

A candle for each year of his life.

[bronxiteforever]

62. Rest In Peace, Hero.

[Behind the Aegis]

63. An icon. May his memory be eternal.

[wendyb-NC]

64. So sad.

R.I.P.

[Chemisse]

65. I am not saddened by this.

He lived a great life and died at an old age. If we all could be so lucky as lay on our deathbed and know that we made such a difference in the world.

[Upthevibe]

66. ...................

............................

[ffr]

67. In all my life I could never walk a mile in his shoes.

RIP.

[ehrnst]

68. Glad to see that he lived to see the crumbling of confederate statues and flags

and wish he could have lived through the convention, because he wouldn't likely be booed and mocked as a "neolib" this time.

[joshcryer]

69. Dammit, I wish he lived to see Trump ousted.

[turbinetree]

70. ..............

[Hip2bSquare]

71. Let's make him smile in November!

I hope we can give him a big smile as he looks down on us in November!!

[polmaven]

72. How sad!!

[bdamomma]

73. awful news

he was one of the greats. He must be dancing with the angels too. He will be sorely missed.

[ucrdem]

76. A great man and a great loss.

Rest in peace John Lewis.

[warmfeet]

78. Were that all our elected officials had the same

sense of character, fairness and equality.

We have much to strive for. I am ever grateful that we have the likes of Representative John Lewis to lead the way. A hero by any definition. John will be sorely missed.

[Tommymac]

79. Godspeed John

[ailsagirl]

80. What an incalculable loss

[dreamland]

81. A great man is gone but his fight, we will carry one.

A great man who will be justly lauded in our history books. We shall miss him. Rest in peace, John.

[calimary]

85. Maybe he'll be the Guardian Angel we need.

His name, I hope, will be a motivating battle cry

VOTE!!! Do it for John Lewis!!!