The iconic civil rights activist and Congressman, John Lewis, no doubt had a well spent life fighting for the good course of racial equality and social justice amongst colors in the United States, and across the nooks and crannies of the world. Lewis, often called the ‘conscience of Congress’ was a relentless civil rights activist for over six decades, first joining Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the fight for voting rights when he was just 18.
It could be recall that Late John Lewis was just 23 years old, when he co-organized the historic March on Washington in 1963.
For a man who has been severely beaten and his skull cracked at some point for staging protests with numerous arrests in the good fate of fighting for the (just) rights of millions of people, here are the best seven inspirational quotes of this martyr of civil rights.
Raw Courage
“You cannot be afraid to speak up and speak out for what you believe. You have to have courage, raw courage.” – Tweet from July 2014
Freedom Is A Continuous Action
“Freedom is not a state; it is an act. It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau where we can finally sit down and rest. Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society.” – 2017 memoir, “Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America”
On Struggle
“Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year—it is the struggle of a lifetime. Be persistent and consistent. We shall overcome.”
The Revolution Must Be Complete
“I appeal to all of you to get into this great revolution that is sweeping this nation. Get in and stay in the streets of every city, every village and hamlet of this nation until true freedom comes, until the revolution of 1776 is complete.” – 1963 March on Washington
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was my friend, my mentor; he was like a big brother. Dr. King taught us to recognize the dignity and worth of every human being. He was the moral compass of our nation. He marched for us. He protested for us. He went to jail for us. He gave his life for us. We honor Dr. King’s legacy through service to our community and adherence to the philosophy and discipline of nonviolence. Our nation has, at times, created and enforced unjust laws. It is up to people of conscience to expose such injustice through nonviolent means.”
Your Vote Is Sacred
“My dear friends: Your vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union.” – Speech in Charlotte, North Carolina in September 2012.
Good Trouble
“My parents told me, in the very begining as a young child when I raised the question about segregation and racial discrimination, they told me not to get in the way, not to get into trouble, not to make noise.””I want young people in America to feel the spirit of the 1960s and find a way to get in the way. To find a way to get into trouble. Good trouble, necessary trouble.” – Tweet from June 2018
