Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Lewis tributes pour in from across country
The tributes to John Lewis poured in Saturday morning, as leaders from across the political spectrum expressed gratitude and reverence for the civil rights icon’s commitment to racial justice, even at great personal cost.
“I first met John when I was in law school, and I told him then that he was one of my heroes. Years later, when I was elected a U.S. Senator, I told him that I stood on his shoulders,” former President Barack Obama wrote in a eulogy on Medium. “When I was elected President of the United States, I hugged him on the inauguration stand before I was sworn in and told him I was only there because of the sacrifices he made.”
The Georgia Democratic congressman, who died Friday at 80, spoke at the 1963 March on Washington. He led the march for voting rights across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma in 1965 with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in what became known as “Bloody Sunday.” Lewis suffered a beating by police who confronted the demonstrators with bullwhips and nightsticks.
His final public act was to visit the newly named Black Lives Matter Plaza on a street leading to the White House.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, who accompanied Lewis on that visit, described him “as the conscience of Congress … the conscience of our nation.”
President Donald Trump tweeted: “Saddened to hear the news of civil rights hero John Lewis passing. Melania and I send our prayers to he and his family.”
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany made a statement on Twitter, writing that Lewis “was an icon of the civil rights movement, and he leaves an enduring legacy that will never be forgotten.”
The White House released a proclamation late in the morning, ordering flags at the White House and other public buildings flown at half-staff for one day as “a mark of respect for the memory and longstanding public service” of Lewis.
Later, Vice President Mike Pence released his own remembrance of Lewis, praising him as a “great man” who “changed America forever.”
“John Lewis will be remembered as a giant of the civil rights movement whose selflessness and conviction rendered our nation into a more perfect union and his example will inspire generations of Americans,” Pence said. “While John Lewis will be rightly remembered as an icon of the civil rights movement, for me he was also a colleague and a friend.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, released a statement on behalf of himself and his wife, Jill.
“We are made in the image of God, and then there is John Lewis,” Biden began. “How could someone in flesh and blood be so courageous, so full of hope and love in the face of so much hate, violence, and vengeance?”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., shared that on Friday, in his last act of public service, Lewis co-authored a letter with McCarthy urging more money be spent on teaching civics in schools.
“Even on the last day of his life, John never stopped working to improve the lives of others,” McCarthy said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called him “a titan of the civil rights movement whose goodness, faith and bravery transformed our nation.”
Many other officials also released statements:
Former President George W. Bush: “Laura and I join our fellow Americans in mourning the loss of Congressman John Lewis. As a young man marching for equality in Selma, Alabama, John answered brutal violence with courageous hope. And throughout his career as a civil rights leader and public servant, he worked to make our country a more perfect union. America can best honor John’s memory by continuing his journey toward liberty and justice for all.”
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “From a small farm in Alabama, to life-risking service in the civil rights movement, to three decades in Congress, he was always ‘walking with the wind,’ steered by a moral compass that told him when to make good trouble and when to heal troubled waters. Always true to his word, his faith, and his principles, John Lewis became the conscience of the nation.”
Former President Jimmy Carter: “He made an indelible mark on history through his quest to make our nation more just. John never shied away from what he called ‘good trouble’ to lead our nation on the path toward human and civil rights. Everything he did, he did in a spirit of love. All Americans, regardless of race or religion, owe John Lewis a debt of gratitude.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.: “Congressman Lewis’ place among the giants of American history was secure before his career in Congress had even begun. … John Lewis risked everything. He endured hatred and violence. But he kept working, because he was convinced that our nation had to be better.”