The Congressional Black Associates Statement On Civil Rights Titan, Powerful Legislator, and Moral Figure John Lewis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 18, 2020

Contact: 

Maya Valentine

maya.valentine@mail.house.gov

(202) 744-1147

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the Congressional Black Associates released the following statement on the passing of Congressman John Lewis: 

“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”  - Rep. John Lewis, June 27, 2018

"Today we woke up with heavy hearts and unbelievable grief at the news that Rep. John Lewis passed away. This nation has lost an American hero, while the halls of Congress have lost a part of its moral conscience and a towering legislator.
 
"For us, it remains the honor of a lifetime to have worked in the same Congress as civil rights legend Rep. John Lewis. The Congressional Black Associates looked up to him with respect and admiration; as a figure of wisdom, power, and characterized by a salient legacy of courage and sacrifice. 
 
"The son of sharecroppers, he ascended to the frontlines of the civil rights scene early on by becoming an original freedom rider and leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. He stood alongside Dr. Martin Luther King and orated an unyielding plea for justice as the youngest speaker at the March on Washington. Throughout his lifetime he survived gruesome beatings and endured various arrests in his relentless fight for equality. At the height of racial tensions in the south and in the aftermath of horrific state violence, he led 600 people across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama to demonstrate an end to racial injustice. He bravely faced the wrath of state troopers - beaten to an inch of his life. This event has gone down in history as 'Bloody Sunday' and accelerated the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1965.  He eventually became a skillful legislator, advancing legislation and rhetoric that furthered the mission of justice and equal rights, while also being a fierce advocate for an end to gun violence and the elimination of barriers of opportunity. He devoted his life and blazed an unabating trail for us to follow. Indeed, we devote ourselves to public service because Rep. John Lewis showed us how.

"Mr. Lewis received numerous honors in his lifetime, and CBA bestowed our own Trailblazer Award to him, recognizing his greatness as a lawmaker and as a role model for Black staff on the Hill. A popular speaker around the country, we were incredibly privileged to have him speak at several of our events over the years, calling us to a higher action and reminding us of the unique power we hold in our hands. 

"Some of us knew Mr. Lewis as a mentor and others only as the iconic leader he was. But America knew him as a crusader of civil liberties. We cannot – nor will we – let his work go unfinished. We pledge to work in continued guidance from his venerable legacy and to rise to this moment with him in our hearts. 

"And, as he would often remind us, we vow to keep getting into 'good trouble.'”