John Robert Lewis was a Black American who was born in Alabama, in 1940. His death occurred on July 17, 2017,th, He was elected fifth District representative of Georgia’s House in 2020. He held this position for nearly 40 years. (Seelye 2020). He was both a civil rights activist as well as a politician. His activism led him to lead civil rights movements advocating and demanding African American rights. His campaigns were focused on the deegregation in social services and the need for voting rights. For example, his peaceful demonstration against the desegregation of restaurant counters is what makes him most famous. He also organised a protest against bus segregation that lasted over a year in support of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. He was part of an African American demonstration that marched to Washington in support of voting rights. He was beaten by the state troopers. John Lewis was also against racism. John Lewis used nonviolent protests against segregation to contest the status quo.
Problem
John Lewis spent his whole career and life fighting against racial injustices in America. His parents were sharecroppers and he grew up in poverty. Seelye 2020. The family’s financial difficulties and systemic racism which impacted their well being were both compounded. Many social services such as libraries and schools were plagued by segregation. As a result, he was denied admission to the college of choice. He joined Rosa Parks Junior Junior and Martin Luther King Junior to fight racism. He also felt resentful that African Americans weren’t allowed to elect their leaders. The outlined inequalities had a profound impact on people of color. These inequalities also limit their chances of success. It was a noble cause that he believed in to fight such vices.
Strategie
To fight racial inequities, John Lewis deployed several strategies. As the first strategy, he advocated for nonviolent action, which included peaceful protests in segregated spaces. While in college, he organized peaceful demonstrations in protest of restaurants, libraries and bathrooms that were banned to him (Seelye, 2020). He was also involved in the organization of the Montgomery bus boycott. It was done to end the restrictions that prohibited them from using those facilities. This also served to force racist supporters to agree to their demands. These individuals were forbidden from participating in these activities, and they could be subject to retaliation both by federal and state authorities as well as racist communities. Lewis was determined, and willing to question the status-quo that even his parents had warned him about. This was a risk worth taking, because the segregated seating aboard buses was removed and everyone could access other facilities.
John Lewis refused to submit to oppressive laws. He believed in fighting together injustices. To discuss the best ways to combat laws that adversely affect black communities, he organized sit-ins as well as other meetings. He stressed the need for unity when fighting racism during these meetings. It was this that led to the famous march to Washington with 600 participants. The march to Washington was designed to eliminate bureaucracy from the electoral process. Seelye 2020. Noting that black voters had to first pass the liturgical exam, it is significant to remember. These and other events led eventually to the modification or removal of literary tests. Segregation votes, which denied voting rights to thousands of African Americans, were also abolished.
Conclusion
John Lewis is an African American civil right activist and politician. The leader of the group was a constant supporter for social and political causes. He especially cared about African Americans as they were frequently treated second-class citizens in their country. He used many strategies to achieve his goals. He encouraged his followers to adopt non-violent actions to challenge the status quo. He organized civil demonstrations in opposition to the establishment of schools for children and other facilities such as schools for businesses on numerous occasions. The public was also at risk because of this opposition to certain laws. However, even though he was aware of these risks, he didn’t give up. He led several organizations that achieved desegregation. They also assisted the black population in exercising their right to vote.
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