On Friday, Congressman John Lewis died at the age of 80. Lewis’s death was confirmed in a statement from Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, who said, in part: “John Lewis was a titan of the civil rights movement whose goodness, faith and bravery transformed our nation—from the determination with which he met discrimination at lunch counters and on Freedom Rides, to the courage he showed as a young man facing down violence and death on Edmund Pettus Bridge, to the moral leadership he brought to the Congress for more than 30 years.”
Lewis, who was on the frontlines of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, announced in December 2019 that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. At the time, he said he would continue work in Washington while receiving treatment.
“I have been in some kind of fight — for freedom, equality, basic human rights—for nearly my entire life,” he said. “I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now.”
Today, Lewis is being remembered by countless leaders and celebrities across social media for his commitment to the fight for justice and his life’s work to see real change happen in America. Here are just a few.
Barack Obama
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Not many of us get to live to see our own legacy play out in such a meaningful, remarkable way. John Lewis did:https://t.co/KbVfYt5CeQ
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 18, 2020
“Not many of us get to live to see our own legacy play out in such a meaningful, remarkable way,” Obama wrote in his tribute to Lewis on Medium. “John Lewis did. And thanks to him, we now all have our marching orders—to keep believing in the possibility of remaking this country we love until it lives up to its full promise.”
Ava DuVernay
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Thank you for your care and kindness, your advice and understanding. Will never forget what you taught me and what you challenged me to be. Better. Stronger. Bolder. Braver. God bless you, Ancestor John Robert Lewis of Troy, Alabama. Run into His arms. https://t.co/DTUEw7cJzX
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) July 18, 2020
“You are loved. You are respected. You are magnificent,” the filmmaker wrote in her initial tweet after Lewis’s diagnosis last December.
Kamala Harris
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John Lewis was an icon who fought with every ounce of his being to advance the cause of civil rights for all Americans. I’m devastated for his family, friends, staff—and all those whose lives he touched.My friend, thank you for showing the world what #GoodTrouble looks like. pic.twitter.com/cvG8nSJCW5
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 18, 2020
My friend, thank you for showing the world what #GoodTrouble looks like,” the senator wrote, in reference to Lewis’s philosophy to make “good trouble.”
Viola Davis
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Rest in Heavenly peace Mr. John Lewis. Thank you for your service, for your committment to change and your courage. You did great with your time on this earth. “Goodnight sweet Prince. May flights of angels sing the to thy rest.” And…pour some blessings on us down here 🙏🏿❤️ pic.twitter.com/9ZBSnLYmMa
— Viola Davis (@violadavis) July 18, 2020
“Goodnight sweet Prince. May flights of angels sing the to thy rest,” Davis said, quoting William Shakespeare.
Angela Bassett
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Oh how we will mourn your loss and yet strive to continue your fight for justice for us all! “We must never, ever give up! We must be brave,bold,courageous” John Lewis pic.twitter.com/bbxmQODmf1
— Angela Bassett (@ImAngelaBassett) July 18, 2020
“Oh how we will mourn your loss and yet strive to continue your fight for justice for us all!,” she said.
Michelle Obama
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“Congressman Lewis shows us that while the struggle and pain is all too real, fighting for each other—and paving the way toward something better for our kids and grandkids—can and should be a source of real and lasting joy,” she wrote.
Bernice King
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Marco Rubio’s tribute to John Lewis obliviously features a photo of him and Elijah Cummings. He even made it his avatar. pic.twitter.com/Go0OtgdvRm
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 18, 2020
When I visited Uncle John last week, I looked in his eyes and said, “Well done,” wrote Bernice King, the youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.
Stephen Colbert
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Goodbye, John Lewis. Thank you for the #goodtrouble pic.twitter.com/LDzDV1dKXW
— Stephen Colbert (@StephenAtHome) July 18, 2020
Colbert shared this clip of Lewis talking about the importance of making “good trouble.”
Samuel L. Jackson
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What A Day… now, John Lewis. Sometimes it’s Good to meet a Hero… I was blessed every time we met. RI POWER, Sir.#thestrugglecontinues#BLM#VOTE
— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) July 18, 2020
“#thestrugglecontinues #BLM #VOTE,” the actor added.
Mark Hamill
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“I have been beaten, my skull fractured & arrested more than 40 times so that each & every person has the right to register & vote. Do your part. Get out there & vote like you’ve never voted before.”-John Lewis: Hero-Civil Rights Icon-Inspiration-Legend💔#RestInPower #goodtrouble pic.twitter.com/4hBTsnSW5B
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) July 18, 2020
Hamill called Lewis a “Hero-Civil Rights Icon-Inspiration-Legend.”
Billy Porter
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This is the man that taught us all how to get into some #GoodTrouble. One of my heroes. A true legend. Thank you for teaching us how to fight for liberty & justice for all mankind. This photo was taken at the @HRC Dinner in DC 2016 right before the world blew up. RIP #JohnLewis pic.twitter.com/8BPFqCb5eA
— Billy Porter (@theebillyporter) July 18, 2020
“This photo was taken at the @HRC Dinner in DC 2016 right before the world blew up. RIP,” the Pose actor wrote.
This post will be updated.
Источник: www.elle.com
