Ohio leaders remember life and legacy of civil rights icon and congressman John Lewis

Fran and I were very saddened to learn this morning of the death of our friend Congressman John Lewis.

John Lewis changed America.

In 2004, when I was in the U.S. Senate, Congressman Lewis led a small group of lawmakers to Tennessee and Alabama and showed us history. He opened our eyes with first-hand accounts of the abuse and prejudice he experienced. He told us about his time as a Freedom Rider, when he and fellow activists were badly beaten while riding buses throughout the South to protest segregation.

He took us to the Rosa Parks Museum and the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, where Reverend King had been pastor and preached hope and perseverance. We also walked with him to the Civil Rights Memorial, as he led us in singing "We Shall Overcome."

John also took us across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL, where on March 7, 1965 -- known as Bloody Sunday -- he and so many other civil rights protesters were attacked and beaten as they peacefully marched.

Fran and I had taken our two youngest children, Mark and Anna, with us, and we will all be forever grateful to John for what he taught us on that journey.

John Lewis was an extraordinary leader, teacher, and role model for us all. He left a legacy for which we all have a responsibility now to carry on.

Our nation has lost a hopeful warrior for justice in John Robert Lewis. Congressman Lewis was not just a civil rights icon; he was a friend and mentor to so many in the Democratic Party and progressive movement. He gave of his time and energy so selflessly to many campaigns and candidates over the years. I am so grateful for the time he spent here in Ohio.

“John Lewis’s story teaches us that there is no bad time to make good trouble and even if you are young or impoverished or fearful, it is important to speak up and speak out. Your voice matters.

“John Lewis’s legacy carries on, not only in books and films, but in the lives of the young people who are right now marching for justice, standing up for equality and fighting for their right to live without fear of police brutality and gun violence. There is no greater way to honor John Lewis’s memory than standing with these young people, listening to them and lifting up their voices. Rest in power, Congressman.

John Lewis was a civil rights icon who committed his life to fighting for justice and equality. I was honored to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives with him where he helped us establish the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in my hometown of Cincinnati. I have been blessed to call this gracious man my friend.

In 2015, Jane and I joined John Lewis on a trip to Selma, Alabama to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday and march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, which I understand the people of Selma may rededicate in his name, an appropriate tribute.

In Selma on that 50th anniversary, John Lewis brought together elected officials of both parties, including President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush, in support of the civil rights movement, and the dignity, civility, and non-violence that John stood for. We will all miss his presence. Jane and I lift up his family in prayer during this difficult time.

We have lost one of our country’s great moral leaders, a stalwart advocate for freedom and justice, a life-long champion for civil, human and voting rights, ‘the conscience of Congress,’ the man who taught us to get in ‘Good Trouble’ to effect change, my friend and colleague, Congressman John R. Lewis.

A native son of Alabama, born in a time of segregated schools and ‘whites only’ drinking fountains, Congressman Lewis experienced the evils of racism and discrimination firsthand. At an early age, he made the bold and courageous decision to become a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, fighting alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Congressman Lewis was a giant of a man and he stood when others would shrink and cower. From organizing sit-in demonstrations at lunch counters to participating in Freedom Rides, he repeatedly risked his life to enable us to enjoy the freedoms we too often take for granted. He taught us to turn despair into action, to band together, to demonstrate, to sit in, to stand up, to vote and to never stop fighting because when your cause is just, it is the right thing to do.

Congressman Lewis served the people of Georgia’s 5th Congressional District with steadfast resilience and unwavering dedication for over 30 years. Congressman Lewis was awarded the medal of freedom by President Barack Obama, and the impact of his life’s work will remain in the annals of history as a template for the continued pursuit of social justice and equal rights.
“Congressman Lewis marched from the segregated streets of the deep south to ‘that bridge in Selma’ where he ‘gave a little blood.’ And he marched through the halls of Congress where he fought to rid our nation of racism, push for lasting equality, end poverty and hunger, eradicate gun violence, establish the first national African American museum in Washington, and ensure every person has unfettered access to the ballot box.

Congressman Lewis was a fighter who gave hope to the hopeless and a voice to the voiceless. As we march onward today, we reflect on his words instructing us to ‘get out there and push, and stand up, and speak out, and get in the way [of racism, oppression and injustice] the same way my generation got in the way. Get in trouble. Good trouble. Necessary trouble.’

John was victorious in life and in death and has moved from labor to reward. It was my privilege and my pleasure to call him a colleague and friend. He will be missed. Rest in Power.

Yesterday we lost one of the great heroes of the civil rights movement--John Lewis. His legacy reminds us of the commitment and strength it takes to make real change. I am grateful he lived to see the power of the Black Lives Matter movement sweep the globe. He understood it as a necessary continuation of his work.

Now, we must take up John Lewis's mantle and persevere to finally make right these centuries old injustices. New heroes are standing on his strong shoulders. Let us support them and acknowledge them in honor of his life.