The world is reacting to the death of civil rights icon and Georgia Congressman Rep. John Lewis on Friday night at the age of 80. The lawmaker had been suffering from Stage IV pancreatic cancer since December.
Lewis was also the last surviving member of the “Big Six” leaders who organized the historic 1963 March on Washington and would later be elected to Congress in 1987, serving a total of 17 terms. Prior to his first term in the House, he worked as a community activist and member of the Atlanta City Council. His trademark phrase, “good trouble,” was a rallying cry for civil rights activists everywhere. In 2016, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Barack Obama.
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Back in March, Lewis marched on the Edmund Pettus Bridge again to mark the 55th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday.” Speaking to the crowd, the congressman recalled that “some of us gave a little blood to help redeem the soul of America.” While he said that America was “a better country” than it was 55 years ago, “but we have still a distance to travel to go before we get there.” Considering the monumental impact Lewis had, there was no shortage of tributes to his life’s work online. Here’s a look at a few of the tweets commemorating him and his influence.
John Lewis was a giant among men. A Civil Rights Icon, an indefatigable champion for justice, and a hell raiser known for making ‘good trouble.’
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) July 18, 2020
In mourning his passing, let us aspire to build the nation that Congressman Lewis believed it could be.
May he Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/sDJ169T9bE
With Congresman John Lewis passing this evening our nation has lost a civil rights giant, one of the original freedom riders, and the only surviving speaker of the March On Washington where Dr. King gave his ‘I Have A Dream Speech’ pic.twitter.com/xgNzIOfljB
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) July 18, 2020
Devastating news: civil rights leader, Georgia congressman and American hero John Lewis has died. pic.twitter.com/5DbUT8TDQi
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) July 18, 2020
John Lewis was an extraordinary man. He gave this world so much. We were so lucky to share the earth with him.
— Clint Smith (@ClintSmithIII) July 18, 2020
Rep. John Lewis, American hero, civil rights icon, has passed. Rest In Peace, Sir.
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) July 18, 2020
so much could be said about this man, but rest in power is all i’ve got. rest in power john lewis. pic.twitter.com/seFf8DFMMt
— nadirah (@hinadirah) July 18, 2020
“Find a way to get in trouble. Good trouble, necessary trouble.”
— Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) July 18, 2020
– Rep John Lewis 1940-2020 pic.twitter.com/MN3GWRwTy8
Rest In Peace, Rep. John Lewis 🖤✊🏿 pic.twitter.com/3OgOFmGaQB
— Jamal (@JamalJimoh) July 18, 2020
Our civil rights hero and heart of our nation…John Lewis just passed. Rest in Power.
— Yuh-Line Niou (@yuhline) July 18, 2020
“I say to people today, ‘You must be prepared if you believe in something. If you believe in something, you have to go for it. As individuals, we may not live to see the end.”
John Lewis
This one hurts. Thank you John Lewis for making a path for little Black girls like me. pic.twitter.com/0RbHPwyxpU
— Rodericka Applewhaite (@Rodericka) July 18, 2020
Congressman John Lewis was the best our country has to offer. His resilience, his empathy, his character — all were the highest standard for what we’d expect of a great leader. How incredibly fortunate we all are to have shared space with him in our lifetime and to be led by him.
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) July 18, 2020
John Lewis showed us how it’s done. What a remarkable, inspiring life. What a leader. What a fighter. What a gracious, generous, unrelenting presence. Such a loss. But his work will rouse hearts and spark change for generations to come. The good trouble carries on. pic.twitter.com/sYgWHGSgCZ
— Beau Willimon (@BeauWillimon) July 18, 2020
