Question

what was John Lewis's role in advancing racial equality and civil rights?

Answer 1

John Robert Lewis was born on 21^st February 1940, in Troy (Alabama), USA. The civil rights leader and American politician have been a prominent member of the Democratic Party. He is currently serving his 17^th term in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5^th Congressional District. Lewis is also among the “Big Six” group leaders (others being Martin Luther King Jr., Roy Wilkins, Philip Randolph, James Farmer, and Whitney Young) who played the critical role in civil rights and equality movement of the 1960s for jobs and freedom, and in March on Washington.

Lewis is quite well known for the prominent roles he played in the Civil Rights Movement of the United States of America. The Civil Rights Movement of the country was caused due to problems including inequality and racism and spanned between the years 1954 to 1968. It was a movement to end the legalized forms of racial discrimination, racial segregation, and disenfranchisement (prevention of voting and other rights for certain groups of people). The civil rights movement resulted in the passage of many important Federal laws that had far-reaching implications, and which were critical in putting an end to the racial and discriminatory practices in America. These laws included the Civil Rights Act of the year 1964, and the Voting Rights of Act of 1965 among others. Certain important federal agencies including the US Commission on Civil Rights, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission were also created in the aftermath of the civil rights movement.

John Lewis was a dedicated civil rights movement member since his college days and years. He was at the forefront of the organization of the protest activities like the sit-ins at the segregated lunch counters of Nashville. Lewis also participated in other civil rights activities as well as movements and protests associated with the non-violent student movement. He was arrested as well as jailed a number of times for his non-violent activities.

John Lewis came into greatest prominence for his role and contribution in the civil rights movement when he was appointed the chairman of SNCC or the “Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee” during the 1960s. He was also one of the founding members of this organization. Lewis was seen as a sincere and promising leader as he adhered to the philosophy of reconciliation and principles of nonviolence and had ample of courage. Lewis was a keynote speaker of the March on Washington, which was of historic prominence. In the leadership role that Lewis played at SNCC, he organized the voter registration support efforts. He also drafted and organized certain action programs for communities in the year 1964 during the Mississippi Freedom Summer. John also suffered from physical injuries, which occurred to him due to his participation in the movement. He participated in the bus rides known as “freedom rides” that were symbolic of the civil rights movement, and which promoted nonsegregation and inequality. Lewis also participated in marches that were against the segregated movie theatres.

Lewis was an ardent follower of the non-violence principles and stuck to the measures in all his participation activities in the equality and civil rights movements protests/marches. Lewis was elected as the Chairman of SNCC in the year 1963 unanimously and served in the position until 1966. Lewis’s courage towards facing the odds while participating in the civil rights movement was commendable. In the year 1965, he along with Hosea Williams led a march of more than 600 people to the Capital of Montgomery. Here Lewis and other non-violent protestors were attacked by the law-enforcement forces that used rubber tubes (with barbed wires), tear-gas, and Billy clubs. Lewis was also knocked down unconscious once while participating in the freedom rides that started in the year 1961. Lewis can be hence said to have played an important role in organizing the student movement and provided to the movement the valuable "non-violence" principles that increased the acceptance and reach of the movement. His courage and determination set an example for others to follow. Lewis also had the intellect to locate the issues that needed to be addressed, and his thoughtful and inspiration moves and efforts of the civil; right movement delivered success in the end.

Lewis later joined the Field Foundation and was the Director of the “Voter Education” project later. Here he tried to educate the youth in political matters and organized the South African and American voters. Later on and during the Presidency tenure of Jimmy Carter, Lewis was appointed as the Director of “US Operation for Action” in the year 1977. It was a federal agency with an objective to implement, promote, and supervise the economic recovery programs for the communities.

Lewis’s efforts and contributions toward better social equality were also evident in his later roles. Lewis was elected to the Atlantis City Council later in the year 1982 and worked towards the fulfillment of needs of the elderly and poor at that point in time.