Four Books and One Film That Honors Congressman John Lewis
Honor john lewis by viewing the following books and film
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Who Was Congressman John Lewis?
John Lewis was an American hero. Actually, he was more than that. He was a civil rights icon, revered congressman, and noted chicken enthusiast. A noble southern man through and through, Lewis dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of Black Americans with radical nonviolence and activism.
Lewis was born and raised on February 21, 1940, near rural town Troy, Alabama, to sharecroppers Eddie Lewis and Willie Mae Miles. Hoping to become a preacher, Lewis gave sermons to his chickens while tending to his family’s farm as a young child. Though he lived a humbled life, Lewis faced harsh segregation and systematic racism in his southern hometown. Fortunately, the young man became inspired by the activism of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Montgomery bus boycott, which he learned about while listening to the radio. These activists’ acts of bravery prompted him to travel and meet King and activist Rosa Parks, much to the surprise of his parents.
Influenced by King, Lewis got more involved in activism when he became a young man. While attending Fisk University, Lewis became one of the “Big Six” leaders of the civil rights movement. He organized sit-ins at segregated lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee, participated as one of the original 13 Freedom Riders, and helped lead the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), an organization responsible for the student activist arm of the civil rights movement. He even marched from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, and gave a rousing keynote speech at the 1963 March on Washington. Through these efforts, the United Stated ended legal segregation and passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
After the assignation of King in 1968, many participants of the civil rights movement transitioned from activism to politics, including Lewis himself. In 1977 Lewis accepted a position with the Carter administration as associate director of ACTION, a government organization designed to coordinate and administer volunteer services such as the Volunteers in Service to America and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Afterward, he was elected to the Atlanta City Council in 1981 and later elected into Congress as a member of the U.S House of Representatives. A position he served for the remainder of his life.
As a representative of Georgia's 5th congressional district, Lewis helped established the National Museum of African American History and Culture, protested for gun safety legislation in 2016, and supported Hillary Clinton’s and Barack Obama’s run for President of the United States.
One of the last surviving members of the “Big Six” activists, Lewis, died in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 17, 2020, at 80 from pancreatic cancer. The same day his good friend and noted activist C.T. Vivian died.
The presidency of Barack Obama would not have happened without John Lewis’s contributions to the civil rights movement. Due to his commitment to activism and radical nonviolence, Lewis is an essential figure in American history. To honor his legacy, here are four books and one film that highlights Lewis’s storied life.
March Trilogy Set
By John Lewis (Author), Andrew Aydin (Author), Nate Powell (Illustrator)
An autobiographical graphic novel series, March, follows the story of the historic civil rights movement through Lewis's eyes. Co-written by Lewis and Andrew Aydin and illustrated by award-winning artist Nate Powell, this illustrative series beautifully captures Lewis's experiences as a young political activist. Winner of countless awards, including the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work, and ALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults, March is a must-read for young adults and graphic novel enthusiasts everywhere.
Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author Jon Meacham, His Truth Is Marching On offers a revealing depiction of the civil rights leader. Through a series of interviews that spans a decade, Meacham invites readers to learn about Lewis's remarkable life story. From meeting King as a teenager to his beating on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the author captures nearly every significant event that helps shape Lewis's worldview. An essential read, Meacham, proves that the civil rights hero should be given the same honor and respect as the Founding Fathers of the United States.
Winner of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Biography/Autobiography, Across That Bridge, offers insight and knowledge from Lewis's time as a civil rights activist and politician. Through his guidance, recollections, and principles, the icon gives readers the tools they need to change the world for a better place. And with the growing awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement and police brutality in the United States, now the time to apply Lewis's philosophy of nonviolence to one's daily lives.
Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis
By Jabari Asim (Author), E. B. Lewis (Illustrator)
By award-winning children’s book author Jabari Asim and with illustrations by noted black artist E. B. Lewis, Preaching to the Chickens follows little John Lewis as preaches to his chickens on his family farm in Troy, Alabama. When the young aspiring preacher is in charge of taking care of the chickens while his parents tend to errand, the boy learns that they make for a great congregation. Positively adorable and sweet, this children’s book is a perfect introduction to Lewis’s relationship with spirituality and leadership.
John Lewis: Good Trouble
By Dawn Porter
Lewis once stated, “Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
Taking his words to heart, director Dawn Porter takes viewers on a fascinating journey as she highlights 60 years of the congressman’s life. With interviews from John Lewis, Stacy Abrams, and Henry Louis Gates Jr., Good Trouble provides an intimate look into what made Lewis an iconic figure in American history. Compelling and aspirational, this documentary proves that anything is possible as long as you are willing to get into a little good trouble.
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