Congressman John Robert Lewis A Man of Mighty Courage
CONGRESSMAN JOHN ROBERT LEWIS
A MAN OF MIGHTY COURAGE
IN LOVING MEMORY
FEBRUARY 21, 1940 – JULY 17, 2020
FREEDOM RIDER
CHAIRMAN OF THE STUDENT NONVIOLENT COORDINATING COMMITTEE (SNCC)
ONE OF THE “BIG SIX” CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS OF THE GROUPS THAT ORGANIZED THE 1963 MARCH ON WASHINGTON FOR JOBS AND FREEDOM
LED THE SELMA TO MONTGOMERY ALABAMA MARCH ALONG WITH MR. HOSEA WILLIAMS (SCLC) ACROSS THE EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE ON MARCH 7, 1965
MEMBER OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ~ KNOWN AS “THE MORAL CONSCIENCE OF CONGRESS”
I HAVE SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME; BECAUSE HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND I SHALL NOT BE MOVED.
PSALM 16:8
A MAN OF MIGHTY COURAGE
WILLING TO FERVENTLY FIGHT
SACRIFICING AN ORDINARY LIFE
TO PURSUE SOCIAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
FEARLESS IN HIS QUEST FOR RACIAL EQUALITY
NEVER COMPROMISING HIS BELIEFS A MERE FRACTION
A MAN SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER
LEADING BY EXAMPLE AND WITH EARNEST ACTION
JOHN LEWIS WAS BORN TO CHANGE THIS WORLD
HIS TRIALS MORE THAN THE AVERAGE MAN’S DOUBLE
HE CERTAINLY ENDURED MORE THAN MOST EVER COULD
AND COURAGEOUSLY GOT INTO “GOOD AND NECESSARY TROUBLE”
WEARING WITH DIGNITY THOSE LIFELONG SCARS
HE NEVER WAVERED IN THE GOOD FIGHT
HE CONTINUED RESISTING THE OPPRESSORS
KEEPING THE GOAL OF FREEDOM IN SIGHT
STANDING ALONGSIDE OTHER EMINENT ACTIVISTS
THEIR EVERY MOVE UNDER A PREJUDICED MICROSCOPE
THEY NEVER LET BIGOTRY DISTRACT THEM
AND REMAINED BEACONS OF LIGHT AND HOPE
WE OWE MR. LEWIS A DEBT OF GRATITUDE
HIS DETERMINATION HAS PAVED THE WAY
FOR THE SILENCED TO RISE UP AND BE HEARD
FOR BLACK AMERICANS’ VOTING RIGHTS TODAY
WE HUMBLY HONOR MR. JOHN ROBERT LEWIS
WHO JOINED THE RANKS OF LEGENDS, MIGHTY, BRAVE AND MANY
ENDING HIS LEADERSHIP AND DISTINGUISHED WORK OF COURAGE
ON JULY SEVENTEENTH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY
INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT™
WRITTEN WITH LOVE EXCLUSIVELY BY MARILYN MARIE TODD THORN
BLESSED 2 BE MARILYN MARIE®
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