Iconic Civil Rights Leader, John Lewis is Dead

Civil rights leader, John Robert Lewis has died after a protracted battle with cancer. He passed away on Friday night, July 17 at the age of 80.

The civil rights activist who survived a brutal beating by police during a landmark 1965 march in Selma, Alabama, was a long serving US Congressman.

A statement released by his family stated:

“It is with inconsolable grief and enduring sadness that we announce the passing of U.S. Rep. John Lewis.

“He was honored and respected as the conscience of the US Congress and an icon of American history, but we knew him as a loving father and brother. He was a stalwart champion in the on-going struggle to demand respect for the dignity and worth of every human being. He dedicated his entire life to non-violent activism and was an outspoken advocate in the struggle for equal justice in America. He will be deeply missed.”

Lewis died on the same day as civil rights leader the Rev. Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian, who was 95. The dual deaths of the civil rights icons come as the US is still grappling with racial upheaval in the wake of the death of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests that have swept the nation.

May his soul rest in peace.