7/20/2020

Leading by Example

If leaders set the example, no one is better considered a leader than the Honorable Congressman John Lewis. He was a man of passion, commitment and service. We mourn his passing but cherish his willingness to remain in the forefront of civil and human rights issues as a civil rights leader and later as a representative for Georgia for 33 years.

In "My Soul is Rested" by Howell Raines, Lewis spoke of his humble beginnings in Alabama and how he saw "the dual system of segregation and racial discrimination." He was inspired by the Montgomery Bus Boycott, describing it as "...a moving movement." He followed the tenets of nonviolence and sought for opportunities to serve, which he found as an original Freedom Rider and coordinator of numerous sit-ins. He was frequently beaten and arrested for his convictions to provide equity for all, but he remained steadfast. He eventually became chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and presented a fiery speech at the March on Washington for jobs and freedom.

When Congressman Lewis spoke, he appealed to youth in particular to make a difference and influence change. He noted that as a child, his parents cautioned him not to get into trouble, but he viewed his arrests for the civil rights movement "good trouble." He said, "I want to see young people in America feel the spirit of the 1960's and find a way to get into trouble. Good trouble, necessary trouble." 

Shortly before he succumbed to pancreatic cancer on July 17, 2020, Congressman Lewis was leading from the front as usual in the streets of Washington D.C., protesting the violent murder of George Floyd. In a Today show interview regarding the protests, Lewis said Floyd's death "...made me so sad. It made me cry to see what was happening to this person of color...to any human being. I think it sends a message that we will not give up on fairness, that we will continue to press, and press on for what is right, for what is fair, for what is just."

Thank you, Congressman Lewis for showing us the good that can come from "troublemakers" who walk as you did, with a spirit of excellence and a heart filled with love. May we all get into "good trouble." Rest in power and in peace.

Dr. Eurydice with daughter Grace, Miss Black Teen Florida International Ambassador 2019-2021.

Grace Stanley, National American Miss Cover Model with Congressman John Lewis at the 50th Anniversary of the desegregation of Little Rock Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas, 2007.