John Lewis
From dKosopedia
John Robert Lewis is the Democratic U.S. Representative from the 5th District of Georgia and an important leader in the American Civil Rights Movement. He served as president of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and led the struggle to end racial segregation. Lewis has represented the 5th District in the United States House of Representatives since 1987. The 5th District encompasses almost all of Atlanta.
Contents |
Speaking Truth to Power
- Domestic Surveillance
Quote: "It is unreal. It is unbelievable that the federal government would waste its time and the hard-earned tax dollars of American citizens spying on peace groups in Atlanta." Read Press Release Condemning Surveillance of Peace Activists
- Darfur Genocide
Quote: "Enough is enough. We must do all we can to stop the violence." Read Frederick j. Frommer. "7 House Members Arrested at Sudan Embassy." Associated Press. May 16, 2006.
Background
John R. Lewis (born February 21, 1940) is an American politician and was an important leader in the American Civil Rights Movement as president of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He currently represents the 5th District of Georgia in the United States House of Representatives.
Born in Troy, Alabama, the son of sharecroppers, Lewis was educated at the American Baptist Theological Seminary and at Fisk University, both in Nashville, Tennessee, where he became active in the local sit-in movement, and went on to become an important national leader in the civil rights struggle. Lewis was personally beaten by Alabama State Troopers while marching to end voting restrictions such as literacy tests and the poll tax. After leaving SNCC, he became community affairs director for the National Consumer Co-op Bank in Atlanta, Georgia and a member of the Atlanta City Council before being elected to the House in 1987. He is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Published Work
- Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement (with Michael D'Orso, 1999)
Contact
Washington DC Office
343 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3801
Fax: (202) 225-0351
Atlanta Office
The Equitable Building
100 Peachtree Street, N.W.
Suite 1920
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 659-0116
Fax: (404) 331-0947