John Lewis

John Robert Lewis (February 21, 1940 – July 17, 2020) was an American politician and civil rights activist. He served in the United States House of Representatives for GA's 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death in 2020. Lewis played a significant role in the civil rights movement, participating in the 1960 Nashville sit-ins, the Freedom Rides, and serving as the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from 1963 to 1966. He was one of the 'Big Six' leaders who organized the 1963 March on Washington. In 1965, Lewis led the first of three Selma to Montgomery marches, where he and other marchers were attacked by state troopers and police in an incident known as Bloody Sunday. Lewis was a member of the Democratic Party and served 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. His contributions to the fight against racial segregation in the United States are widely recognized.