 
INSISTING THE WORD OF HATE AND 
FEAR HAD TO BE ANSWERED WITH 
LOVE AND HOPE.
JOHN LEWIS BELIEVED IN THE LORD.
HE BELIEVED IN HUMANITY, AND HE 
BELIEVED IN AMERICA.
HE'S BEEN CALLED AN AMERICAN 
SAINT, A BELIEVER WILLING TO 
GIVE UP EVERYTHING.
EVEN LIFE ITSELF TO BEAR WITNESS
TO THE TRUTH THAT DROVE HIM ALL 
HIS LIFE.
THAT WE COULD BUILD A WORLD OF 
PEACE AND JUSTICE, HARMONY, 
DIGNITY AND LOVE, AND THE FIRST 
CRUCIAL STEP ON THAT JOURNEY WAS
THE RECOGNITION THAT ALL PEOPLE 
ARE BORN IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AND
CARRY A SPARK OF THE DIVINE 
WITHIN THEM.
LAURA AND I WERE PRIVILEGED TO 
SEE THAT SPARK IN JOHN UP CLOSE.
WE WORKED WITH HIM TO BRING THE 
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF 
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AND 
CULTURE TO THE WASHINGTON MALL.
HE WAS PART OF THE EMMETT TILL 
CRIMES ACT WHERE JUSTICE HAD 
BEEN TOO LONG DENIED.
WE WILL NEVER FORGET JOINING HIM
IN SELMA, ALABAMA FOR THE 50th 
ANNIVERSARY OF HIS MARCH ACROSS 
THE EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE WHERE 
WE GOT TO WATCH PRESIDENT BARACK
OBAMA THANK JOHN AS ONE OF HIS 
HEROES.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THERE'S A STORY IN THE OLD 
SCRIPTURES THAT MEANT A LOT TO 
JOHN.
IN THE HEBREW BIBLE, THE LORD IS
LOOKING FOR A PROPHET.
WHOM SHALL I SEND, GOD WONDERS, 
AND WHO WILL GO FOR US?
ISAIAH ANSWERS, HERE AM I.
SEND ME.
JOHN LEWIS HEARD THAT CALL A 
LONG TIME AGO ANIN SEGREGATED 
ALABAMA, AND HE TOOK UP THE WORK
OF THE LORD THROUGH ALL HIS 
DAYS.
HIS LESSON FOR US IS THAT WE ALL
MUST KEEP OURSELVES OPEN TO THE 
HEARING -- OPEN TO HEARING THE 
CALL OF LOVE, THE CALL OF 
SERVICE AND THE CALL TO SACK 
FACE --
SACRIFICE FOR OTHERS.
LISTEN, JOHN AND I HAD OUR 
DISAGREEMENTS OF COURSE, BUT IN 
THE AMERICA JOHN LEWIS FOUGHT 
FOR AND THE AMERICA I BELIEVE 
IN, DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ARE 
INEVITABLE ELEMENTS AND EVIDENCE
OF DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WE THE PEOPLE INCLUDING 
CONGRESSMEN AND PRESIDENTS CAN 
HAVE DIFFERING VIEWS ON HOW TO 
PERFECT OUR UNION WHILE SHARING 
THE CONVICTION THAT OUR NATION 
HOWEVER FLAWED IS AT HEART A 
GOOD AND NOBLE ONE.
WE LIVE IN A BETTER AND NOBLER 
COUNTRY TODAY BECAUSE OF JOHN 
LEWIS, AND HIS ABIDING FAITH IN 
THE POWER OF GOD, IN THE POWER 
OF DEMOCRACY AND IN THE POWER OF
LOVE TO LIFT US ALL TO A HIGHER 
GROUND.
THE STORY THAT BEGAN IN TROY 
ISN'T ENDING HERE TODAY, NOR IS 
THE WORK.
JOHN LEWIS LIVES FOREVER IN HIS 
FATHER'S HOUSE, AND HE WILL LIVE
FOREVER IN THE HEARTS OF 
AMERICANS WHO ACT JUSTLY, LOVE 
MERCY AND WALK HUMBLY WITH THEIR
GOD.
MAY THE FLIGHTS OF ANGELS SEE 
JOHN LEWIS TO HIS REST AND MAY 
GOD BLESS THE COUNTRY HE LOVED.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH SAID
HE HAD HIS DIFFERENCES WITH JOHN
LEWIS.
HE ALSO SAID HE SHARED PATRIOT 
WITH HIM.
NOW PRESIDENT WILLIAM JEFFERSON 
CLINTON.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
FIRST I THANK JOHN MILES AND THE
LEWIS FAMILY AND JOHN'S 
INCOMPARABLE STAFF FOR A CHANCE 
TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT A MAN I
LOVED FOR A LONG TIME.
I AM GRATEFUL IN EBENEZER, A 
HOLY PLACE SANCTIFIED BY BOTH 
THE FAITH AND THE WORKS OF THOSE
WHO WORSHIPPED HERE.
I THANK MY FRIEND REVEREND 
BERNICE KING WHO STOOD BY MY 
SIDE AND GAVE A FASCINATING 
SERMON IN ONE OF THE MOST 
CHALLENGING PERIODS OF MY LIFE.
I THANK PRESIDENT BUSH, 
PRESIDENT OBAMA, SPEAKER PELOSI 
AND REPRESENTATIVE HOYER AND 
REPRESENTATIVE CLYBURN WHO I 
REALLY THANK FOR WITH THE STROKE
OF A HAND, ENDING AN INTRAFAMILY
FIGHT WITHIN OUR PARTY, PROVING 
THAT PEACE IS NEEDED BY 
EVERYONE.
MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU.
YOU HAVE FACED MORE THAN A FAIR 
SHARE OF CHALLENGES IN THESE 
LAST FEW MONTHS, AND YOU HAVE 
FACED THEM WITH CANDOR AND 
DIGNITY AND HONOR, AND I THANK 
YOU FOR THAT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I MUST SAY FOR A FELLOW THAT GOT
HIS START SPEAKING TO CHICKENS, 
JOHN'S GOTTEN A PRETTY FINELY 
ORGANIZED AND ORCHESTRATED AND 
DEEPLY DESERVED SENDOFF THIS 
LAST WEEK.
HIS HOMEGOING HAS BEEN SOMETHING
TO BEHOLD.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ALL 
OF US WHO LOVED HIM REMEMBER 
THAT HE WAS AFTER ALL, A HUMAN 
BEING.
A MAN LIKE ALL OTHER HUMANS BORN
WITH STRENGTHS THAT HE MADE THE 
MOST OF WHEN MANY DON'T.
BORN WITH WEAKNESSES THAT HE 
WORKED HARD TO BEAT DOWN WHEN 
MANY CAN'T, BUT STILL A PERSON.
IT MADE HIM MORE INTERESTING, 
AND IT MADE HIM IN MY MIND, EVEN
GREATER.
20 YEARS AGO WE CELEBRATED THE 
35th ANNIVERSARY OF THE SELMA 
MARCH, AND EWIWE TALKED TOGETHE 
ALONG WITH CORETTA AND MANY 
OTHERS FROM THE MOVEMENT WHO ARE
NO LONGER WITH US.
 WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ANDY YOUNG 
AND REVEREND JACKSON AND DIANE 
NASH AND MANY OTHERS WHO SUR
E
SURVIVE, BUT ON THAT DAY, I GOT 
HIM TO REPLAY FOR ME A STORY HE 
TOLD ME WHEN WE FIRST MET BACK 
IN THE 1970s.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST AN 
ASPIRING WHATEVER SOUTHERN 
POLITICIAN AND HAD BEEN ELECTED 
GOVERNOR, AND HE WAS ALREADY A 
LEGEND.
SO I SAID, JOHN, WHAT'S THE 
CLOSEST YOU EVER ACTUALLY CAME 
GETTING KILLED TO DOING THIS?
HE SAID, WELL, ONCE WE WERE IN A
DEMONSTRATION AND I GOT KNOCKED 
OUT ON THE GROUND AND PEOPLE 
WERE GETTING BEAT UP PRETTY BAD 
AND I LOOKED UP AND THERE WAS A 
MAN HOLD A LONG, HEAVY PIECE OF 
PIPE AND HE LIFTED IT AND WAS 
CLEARLY GOING TO BRING IT RIGHT 
DOWN INTO MY SKULL, AND AT THE 
VERY LAST SECOND, I TURNED MY 
NECK AWAY AND THEN THE CROWD 
PUSHED HIM A LITTLE BIT.
A COUPLE OF SECONDS LATER, I 
COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
I WAS STILL ALIVE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO 
REMEMBER THAT.
FIRST BECAUSE HE WAS A QUICK 
THINKER, AND SECONDLY BECAUSE HE
WAS HERE ON A MISSION THAT WAS 
BIGGER THAN PERSONAL AMBITION.
THINGS LIKE THAT SOMETIMES JUST 
HAPPEN, BUT USUALLY THEY DON'T.
I THINK THREE THINGS HAPPENED TO
JOHN LEWIS LONG BEFORE WE MET 
AND BECAME FRIENDS THAT MADE HIM
WHO HE WAS.
FIRST THE FAMOUS STORY OF JOHN 
WITH HIS COUSINS AND SIBLINGS 
HOLDING HIS AUNT'S HAND, MORE 
THAN A DOZEN OF THEM RUNNING 
AROUND IN THEIR LITTLE OLD 
WOODEN HOUSE AS THE WIND 
THREATENED TO BLOW THE HOUSE OFF
ITS MOORINGS.
GOING TO THE PLACE WHERE THE 
HOUSE WAS RISING AND ALL THOSE 
TINY BODIES TRYING TO WEIGH IT 
DOWN.
I THINK HE LEARNED SOMETHING 
ABOUT THE POWER OF WORKING 
TOGE
TOGETHER, SOMETHING THAT WAS 
MORE POWERFUL THAN ANY 
INSTRUCTION.
SECOND, NEARLY 20 YEARS LATER 
WHEN HE WAS 23, THE YOUNGEST 
SPEAKER AND THE LAST SPEAKER AT 
THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON.
WHEN HE GAVE A GREAT SPEECH 
URGING TO TAKE TO THE STREETS 
ACROSS THE SOUTH TO SEIZE THE 
CHANCE TO FINALLY END RACISM, 
AND HE LISTENED TO PEOPLE THAT 
HE KNEW HAD THE SAME GOALS.
SAY, WELL, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
HOW WE SAY THIS BECAUSE WE'RE 
TRYING TO GET CONVERTS, NOT MORE
ADVERSARIES.
JUST THREE YEARS LATER, HE LOST 
THE LEADERSHIP TO STOKELY 
CARMICHAEL BECAUSE HE SAID, YOU 
KNOW, I REALLY -- I THINK IT WAS
A PRETTY GOOD JOB FOR A GUY THAT
YOUNG, AND HE COME FROM TROY, 
ALABAMA.
IT MUST HAVE BEEN PAINFUL TO 
LOSE, BUT HE SHOWED AS A YOUNG 
MAN THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT 
YOU CANNOT DO TO HANG ON TO A 
POSITION BECAUSE IF YOU DO THEM,
YOU WON'T BE WHO YOU ARE 
ANYMORE, AND I SAY THERE WERE 
TWO OR THREE YEARS THERE WHERE 
THE MOVEMENT WENT A LITTLE BIT 
TOO FAR TOWARDS STOKELY, BUT IN 
THE END, JOHN LEWIS PREVAILED.
WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE HE HAD
THE KIND OF CHARACTER HE SHOWED 
WHEN HE LOST AN ELECTION.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND THERE WAS BLOODY SUNDAY.
HE FIGURED HE MIGHT GET 
ARRESTED, AND THIS WAS REALLY 
IMPORTANT NOT TO, FOR ALL THE 
REPS CITING THINGS WE ALL 
BELIEVE ABOUT JOHN LEWIS.
WE HAD A REALLY GOOD MIND AND HE
WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT 
HOW CAN I MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY
SINGLE MOMENT.
SO HE WAS GETTING READY TO MARCH
FROM SELMA TO MONTGOMERY.
HE WANTS TO GET ACROSS THE 
BRIDGE.
WHAT DO WE REMEMBER?
HE MADE QUITE A STRANGE FIGURE.
HE HAD A TRENCH COAT AND A 
BACKPACK.
NOW YOUNG PEOPLE PROBABLY THINK 
IT'S NO BIG DEAL, BUT THERE 
WEREN'T THAT MANY BACKPACKS BACK
THEN, AND YOU NEVER SAW ANYBODY 
IN A TRENCH COAT LOOKING HALFWAY
DRESSED UP WITH A BACKPACK.
BUT JOHN PUT AN APPLE, AN 
ORANGE, A TOOTHBRUSH, TOOTHPASTE
IN THE BACKPACK TO TAKE CARE OF 
HIS BODY BECAUSE HE FIGURED HE 
WOULD GET ARRESTED.
AND TWO BOOKS.
ONE, A BOOK ON AMERICA'S 
POLITICAL TRADITION TO FEED HIS 
MIND, AND ONE, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF THOMAS MERTEN, A 
ROMAN-CATHOLIC MONK WHO WAS THE 
SON OF ARTISTS MAKING AN 
ASTONISHING PERSONAL 
TRANSFO
TRANSFORMATION.
A YOUNG GUY ABOUT TO GET HIS 
BRAINS BEAT OUT AND PLANNING ON 
GOING TO PRISON.
HE'S TAKING THAT.
I THINK HE FIGURED IF THOMAS 
MERTEN COULD FIND HIS WAY AND 
KEEP HIS FAITH AND BELIEVE IN 
THE FUTURE, HE, JOHN LEWIS COULD
TOO.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND -- SO WE HONOR OUR FRIEND 
FOR HIS FAITH AND FOR LIVING HIS
FAITH WHICH THE SCRIPTURE SAYS 
IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED
FOR.
THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS UNSEEN.
JOHN LEWIS WAS A WALKING REBUKE 
TO PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT WELL, WE 
AIN'T THERE YET.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING A LONG 
TIME.
ISN'T IT TIME TO BAG IT?
HE KEPT MOVING.
HE HOPED FOR AND IMAGINED AND 
LIVED AND WORKED AND MOVED FOR 
HIS BELOVED COMMUNITY.
HE TOOK A SAVAGE BEATING ON MORE
THAN ONE DAY, AND HE LOST THAT 
BACKPACK ON BLOODY SUNDAY.
NOBODY EVER KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED 
TO IT.
MAYBE SOMEDAY SOMEONE WILL BE 
STRICKEN WITH CONSCIENCE AND 
GIVE SOME OF IT BACK, BUT WHAT 
IT REPRESENTED NEVER DISAPPEARED
FROM JOHN LEWIS' SPIRIT.
WE HONOR THAT MEMORY TODAY 
BECAUSE AS A CHILD, HE LEARNED 
TO WALK WITH THE WIND, TO MARCH 
WITH OTHERS TO SAVE A TINY 
HOUSE.
BECAUSE AS A YOUNG MAN HE 
CHALLENGED OTHERS TO JOIN HIM 
WITH LOVE AND DIGNITY TO HOLD 
AMERICA'S HOUSE DOWN AND OPEN 
THE DOORS OF AMERICA TO ALL ITS 
PEOPLE.
WE HONOR HIM BECAUSE IN SELMA ON
THE THIRD ATTEMPT, JOHN AND HIS 
COMRADES SHOWED THAT SOMETIMES 
YOU HAVE TO WALK INTO THE WIND 
ALONG WITH WITH IT.
AS HE CROSSED THE BRIDGE AND 
MARCHED INTO MONTGOMERY, BUT NO 
MATTER WHAT, JOHN ALWAYS KEPT 
WALKING TO REACH THE BELOVED 
COMMUNITY.
HE GOT INTO A LOT OF GOOD 
TROUBLE ALONG THE WAY, BUT LET'S
NOT FORGET HE ALSO DEVELOPED AN 
ABSOLUTELY UNCANNY ABILITY TO 
HEAL TROUBLED WATERS.
WHEN HE COULD HAVE BEEN ANGRY 
AND DETERMINED TO CANCEL HIS 
ADVERSARIES, HE TRIED TO GET 
CONVERTS INSTEAD.
HE THOUGHT THE OPEN HAND WAS 
BETTER THAN THE CLENCHED FIST.
HE LIVED BY THE FAITH AND 
PROMISE OF ST. PAUL.
LET US NOT GROW WEARY IN DOING 
GOOD FOR A NEW SEASON WE WILL 
REAP IF WE DO NOT LOSE HEART.
HE NEVER LOST HEART.
HE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT.
HE KEPT THE FAITH, BUT WE GOT 
OUR LAST LETTER TODAY ON THE 
PAGES OF "THE NEW YORK TIMES."
KEEP MOVING.
IT IS SO FITTING, ON THE DAY OF 
HIS SERVICE.
HE LEAVES US, OUR MARCHING 
QUARTERS.
KEEP MOVING.
20 YEARS AGO WHEN I CAME HERE 
AFTER THE SELMA MARCH TO A BIG 
DINNER HONORING JOHN AND LILLIAN
AND JOHN MILES, YOU HAD A BIG 
AFRO, AND IT WAS REALLY PRETTY.
AND YOUR DADDY WAS GIVING YOU 
GRIEF ABOUT IT AND I SAID, JOHN,
LET'S DON'T GET OLD TOO SOON.
I MEAN, IF I HAD HAIR LIKE THAT,
I WOULD HAVE IT DOWN TO MY 
SHOULDERS.
BUT ON THAT NIGHT, I WAS ALMOST 
OUT OF TIME AND PEOPLE WERE -- 
TO BE PRESIDENT, AND PEOPLE WERE
ASKING ME, WELL, IF YOU COULD DO
ONE MORE THING, WHAT WOULD IT 
BE?
WHAT DO YOUBECAUSE I HAD MANY F 
ATLANTA.
I SAID IF I COULD JUST DO ONE 
THING, IF GOD CAME TO ME TONIGHT
AND SAID OKAY, YOUR TIME IS UP.
YOU GOT TO GO HOME.
I'M NOT A GENIE, I'M NOT GIVING 
YOU THREE WISHES.
ONE THING, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I SAID I WOULD INFECT EVERY 
AMERICAN WITH WHATEVER IT WAS 
THAT JOHN LEWIS GOT AS A 
4-YEAR-OLD KID AND TOOK THROUGH 
A LIFETIME TO KEEP MOVING AND 
KEEP MOVING IN THE RIGHT 
DIRECTION AND KEEP BRINGING 
OTHER PEOPLE TO MOVE AND TO DO 
IT WITHOUT HATRED IN HIS HEART.
WITH A SONG, TO BE ABLE TO SING 
AND DANCE.
AS JOHN'S BROTHER FREDDIE SAID 
IN TROY, KEEP MOVING TO THE 
BALLOT BOX, EVEN IF IT'S A 
MAILBOX.
KEEP MOVING TO THE BELOVED 
COMMUNITY.
JOHN LEWIS WAS MANY THINGS, BUT 
HE WAS A MAN, A FRIEND, SUNSHINE
IN A STORM.
A FRIEND WHO WOULD WALK THE 
STONEY ROADS THAT HE ASKED YOU 
TO WALK.
THAT WOULD BRAVE THE RODS HE 
ASKED YOU TO BE WHIPPED BY.
ALWAYS KEEPING HIS EYES ON THE 
PRIZE, ALWAYS BELIEVING NONE OF 
US WILL BE FREE UNTIL ALL OF US 
ARE EQUAL.
I JUST LOVED HIM.
I ALWAYS WILL.
I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT HE STAYED 
TRUE TO FORM.
HE'S GONE UP YONDER AND LEFT US 
WITH MARCHING ORDERS.
I SUGGEST, SINCE HE'S CLOSE 
ENOUGH TO GOD TO KEEP HIS EYE ON
THE SPARROW AND US, WE SALUTE, 
SUIT UP AND MARCH ON.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON
HAS KNOWN JOHN LEWIS SINCE THE 
1970s.
THE HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI 
WHO SERVED IN THE CONGRESS WITH 
JOHN LEWIS SINCE THE 1980s.
>> GOOD DAY.
I'M NOT SURE MORNING, AFTERNOON,
WHATEVER IT IS.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH 
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
REVEREND, THANK YOU FOR ENABLING
US ALL TO BE HERE TO HONOR AND 
CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF JOHN LEWIS
WITH THREE PRESIDENTS OF THE 
UNITED STATES.
ISN'T THAT EXCITING?
PRESIDENT CLINTON, PRESIDENT 
BUSH AND SOON PRESIDENT OBAMA 
HERE WITH US.
ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES AS 
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE I'M PLEASED
TO BRING GREETINGS TO EACH AND 
EVERYONE OF YOU.
I'M SAD TO BRING CONDOLENCES TO 
THE FAMILY.
JOHN, MILES, THE ENTIRE LEWIS 
FAMILY, THANK YOU FOR SHARING 
JOHN LEWIS WITH US.
I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE WITH SO 
MANY MEMBERS, 50, WE WOULD HAVE 
HAD MORE EXCEPT CORONAVIRUS 
PREVENTED THE CHURCH FROM 
ALLOWING US TO BRING MORE.
I HOPE THEY'LL ALL STAND.
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES.
[ APPLAUSE ]
SENATORS HARRIS AND BOOKER WHO 
ARE WITH US AS WELL.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AMONG THEM MR. HOYER, SERVED 
WITH JOHN LEWIS FOR OVER 30 
YEARS, OVER 30 YEARS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
IN OUR GROUP WE HAVE SENIOR 
MEMBERS AND WE HAVE MEMBERS OF 
OUR FRESHMEN CLASS.
JOHN CONVINCED EACH ONE OF US 
THAT WE WERE HIS BEST FRIEND IN 
CONGRESS.
WE COME WITH A FLAG FLOWN OVER 
THE CAPITOL THE NIGHT THAT JOHN 
PASSED.
WHEN THIS FLAG FLEW THERE, IT 
SAID GOOD-BYE.
IT WAVED GOOD-BYE TO JOHN, OUR 
FRIEND, OUR MENTOR, OUR 
COLLEAGUE, THIS BEAUTIFUL MAN 
THAT WE ALL HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF
SERVING WITH IN THE CONGRESS OF 
THE UNITED STATES.
SO, AGAIN, WE ALL BRING OUR 
CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY, TO 
MICHAEL COLLINS AND JOHN'S STAFF
WHO MEANT SO VERY MUCH TO HIM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO 
JOHN LEWIS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THERE ARE MANY THINGS WE'RE 
GRATEFUL TO THE FAMILY FOR AND 
THE STAFF FOR AND WE COMMEND 
THEM FOR, BUT LET'S ACKNOWLEDGE 
THE STAMINA THEY'VE HAD TO KEEP 
UP WITH JOHN, EVEN AS HE PASSED 
ON FROM TROY TO SELMA TO 
MONTGOMERY TO WASHINGTON AND NOW
TO ATLANTA TO BE AT REST.
WHEN JOHN LEWIS SERVED WITH US, 
HE WANTED US TO SEE THE CIVIL 
RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND THE REST 
THROUGH HIS EYES.
HE TOLD US SO MANY STORIES.
HE TAUGHT US SO MUCH.
HE TOOK US TO SELMA FOR TWO 
DECADES, MR. PRESIDENT, HE TOOK 
US TO SELMA.
YOU REFERENCED 25 YEARS.
SOME OF US WERE THERE MANY 
TIMES, INCLUDING THE 50th 
ANNIVERSARY WHERE PRESIDENT BUSH
WAS, AS WELL AS PRESIDENT OBAMA.
HE WANTED US TO SEE HOW 
IMPORTANT IT WAS, HOW IMPORTANT 
IT WAS TO UNDERSTAND THE SPIRIT 
OF NONVIOLENCE.
I HESITATE TO SPEAK ABOUT 
NONVIOLENCE IN THE PRESENCE OF 
THE MASTER HIMSELF, REVEREND 
LAWSON WHO WE'LL BE HEARING FROM
SHORTLY.
WE WERE TOGETHER JUST RECENTLY 
IN SELMA WHEN HE AND JOHN SPOKE 
IN CHURCH.
HE TAUGHT THE WORLD REALLY ABOUT
NONVIOLENCE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS, THE 
WORD -- IS A WORD THAT MEANS IN 
SAND SCRIPT TWO THINGS.
IT MEANS NONVIOLENCE AND IT 
MEANS INSISTENCE ON THE TRUTH.
THAT IS WHAT JOHN LEWIS WAS ALL 
ABOUT.
NONVIOLENTLY INSISTING ON THE 
TRUTH.
HE INSISTED ON THE TRUTH IN 
NATIONAL, IN SELMA, IN 
WASHINGTON, D.C., AT THE LINCOLN
MEMORIAL.
HE INSISTED ON THE TRUTH 
WHEREVER HE WENT.
HE INSISTED ON THE TRUTH IN THE 
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.
EVERY TIME HE STOOD UP TO SPEAK 
WE KNEW THAT HE WAS GOING TO 
TAKE US TO A HIGHER PLACE OF OUR
UNDERSTANDING, OF OUR 
RESPONSIBILITIES AND WHAT OUR 
OPPORTUNITIES WERE.
HE INSISTED NO MATTER HOW, SHALL
WE SAY OFFENDED SOMEONE MIGHT 
BE, THAT HE WOULD INSIST ON THE 
TRUTH.
WHAT HE SAID -- "IN MY LIFE I 
HAVE DONE ALL I CAN TO 
DEMONSTRATE THE WAY OF PEACE, 
THE WAY OF LOVE AND NONVIOLENCE 
IS THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY.
NOW IT IS YOUR TURN," HE SAYS IN
THIS ARTICLE "TO LET FREEDOM 
RING."
HE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT TRUTH 
MARCHING ON.
HE ALWAYS WORKED FOR A MORE 
PERFECT UNION.
OVER THE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND,
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF VISITING 
WITH JOHN AND I BROUGHT HIM THIS
FLAG PIN THAT I WEAR, ONE JUST 
LIKE IT.
WHY I DID SO ON THAT FOURTH OF 
JULY WEEKEND WAS BECAUSE IT IS 
ENGRAVED WITH SOMETHING THAT 
SAYS ONE COUNTRY, ONE DESTINY.
NOW WASN'T THAT WHAT JOHN LEWIS 
WAS ALL ABOUT?
ONE COUNTRY, ONE DESTINY.
I MENTION IT BECAUSE THIS WAS 
SEWN INTO THE LINING OF ABRAHAM 
LINCOLN'S COAT THAT HE HAD ON 
THE NIGHT HE LEFT US.
I THINK HE HAD THE COAT ON ALL 
THE TIME, BUT ALSO THAT NIGHT.
JOHN LEWIS AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN 
HAD SO MUCH IN COMMON.
JOHN -- WE GOT TO KNOW HIM FIRST
AND FOREMOST IN FRONT OF THE 
LINCOLN MEMORIAL WHEN HE MADE 
THAT BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL 
SPEECH.
JOHN LAY IN STATE UNDER THE 
ROTUNDA OF THE CAPITOL, UNDER 
THE DOME OF THE CAPITOL ON A 
PLATFORM THAT WAS MADE IN 1865 
TO HOLD THE CASKET OF ABRAHAM 
LINCOLN.
[ APPLAUSE ]
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, JOHN LEWIS.
SO, THEY HAD LOTS OF 
CONNECTIONS.
BY THE WAY, JUST INCIDENTALLY, 
THEY WERE BH WONDERFUL AND 
SPIRITUAL AND SAINTLY, BUT THEY 
WERE BOTH VERY GOOD POLITICIANS.
THINK OF JOHN LEWIS THAT WAY.
YOU WILL KNOW THAT.
HE ALWAYS WAS ABOUT A MORE 
PERFECT UNION.
AND HE WAS ALWAYS ABOUT YOUNG 
PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHY, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT 
ARTICLE YOU REFERENCED IN THE 
"NEW YORK TIMES" TODAY, HIS 
MESSAGE THAT WOULD BE DELIVERED 
AT THIS TIME AS HE LEFT US WAS 
ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE.
HE SAYS TO THEM "TOGETHER YOU 
CAN REDEEM THE WORLD," TOGETHER.
ONE NATION, ONE DESTINY.
HE SAYS IN THE ARTICLE "ANSWER 
THE HIGHEST CALLING OF YOUR 
HEART AND STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU 
TRULY BELIEVE IN."
WASN'T THAT JUST LIKE JOHN?
WE WERE VERY PROUD TO HAVE HIS 
VOICE IN THE ROTUNDA SPEAKING 
ABOUT ALL THAT HE CARED ABOUT 
AND BELIEVED IN IN SUCH A 
BEAUTIFUL WAY STARTING IN TROY.
I STARTED MY REMARKS BY TALKING 
ABOUT THE FLAG THAT WAVED OVER 
THE CAPITOL TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO 
JOHN AS HE BEGAN HIS PASSAGE.
BUT WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW, IN 
ADDITION TO HOW REVERED HE IS IN
THE CONGRESS, SO REVERED THAT HE
WAS A BIT MISCHIEVOUS.
WHEN HE WOULD SAY LET'S MAKE 
SOME GOOD TROUBLE, HE ALWAYS HAD
A TWINKLE IN HIS EYE.
WHEN HE COOKED UP HAVING THE 
SIT-IN TO GET THE REPUBLICAN 
LEADERSHIP TO PUT THE GUN 
VIOLENCE ABOUT ON THE FLOOR, THE
FLOOR WAS COVERED WITH PEOPLE 
AND IT WAS THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT 
THE POLICE MIGHT -- IT WAS 
DISRUPTIVE, GOOD TROUBLE.
IT WAS CLEAR TO THEM THAT IF 
THEY WERE TO ARREST JOHN LEWIS 
FOR DOING THAT, THEY WERE GOING 
TO HAVE TO ARREST THE ENTIRE 
HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WHEN HE SPOKE, PEOPLE LISTENED.
WHEN HE LED, PEOPLE FOLLOWED.
WE LOVED HIM VERY MUCH.
AS HIS OFFICIAL FAMILY, WE MOURN
HIM GREATLY.
HE SHARED SO MUCH OF HIS LOVE 
FOR HIS DISTRICT, HIS FAMILY.
THE SADNESS WHEN LILLIAN WAS 
SICK, THE JOY HE HAD IN JOHN AND
MILES.
AS I SAID, WE WAVE GOOD-BYE TO 
THIS PERSON, OUR LEADER, OUR 
FRIEND, THIS, SHALL WE SAY, 
HUMOROUS -- HE LOVED TO DANCE.
HE LOVED TO MAKE US LAUGH.
SOMETIMES WHILE HE WAS DANCING.
HE SAID MY GRAND DAUGHTER BELLA 
SAID TO HIM DID YOU EVER SING IN
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT?
HE SAID THEY ASKED ME TO SING 
SOLO ONE TIME.
SO LOW SO NOBODY COULD HEAR ME.
GETTING BACK TO THAT FLAG WAVING
GOOD-BYE TO THIS PERSON WE JUST 
LOVED, OFFICIALLY, PERSONALLY, 
IN EVERY WAY, POLITICALLY TOO.
THE LAST NIGHT HE WAS AT THE 
CAPITOL IT WASN'T RAINING.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE SHOWING
UP TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS.
LITTLE BIT AFTER 8:00 THERE WAS 
A DOUBLE RAINBOW, A DOUBLE 
RAINBOW.
BUT IT HADN'T RAINED.
IT WAS A DOUBLE RAINBOW OVER THE
CASKET.
FOR US IT WAS -- WE WAVED 
GOOD-BYE WHEN HE STARTED TO 
LEAVE US.
HE WAS TELLING US -- HE WAS 
TELLING US I'M HOME IN HEAVEN.
I'M HOME IN HEAVEN WITH LILLIAN.
WE ALWAYS KNEW HE WORKED ON THE 
SIDE OF THE ANGELS AND NOW HE IS
WITH THEM.
MAY HE REST IN PEACE.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE NANCY 
PELOSI, REMEMBERING WITH TEARS 
HER FRIEND JOHN LEWIS.
ANOTHE
THE MAN SHE CALLED THE MASTER OF
NONVIOLENCE.
THE MAN WHO MENTORED JOHN LEWIS,
HIS FRIEND JAMES LAWSON.
91 YEARS OLD.
HE BELIEVED NONVIOLENCE WOULD 
WORK IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU.
PASTOR, SISTERS AND BROTHERS, 
MEMBERS OF THIS LEWIS FAMILY 
THAT IS SO WONDERFULLY NURTURED 
IN LOVE, HOPE, COURAGE AND FAITH
AND THE REST OF IT.
SISTERS AND BROTHERS, A POLISH 
CATHOLIC POET SETS THE TONE AT 
LEAST IN PART FOR ME AS JOHN 
LEWIS HAS JOURNEYED FROM THE 
ETERNITY OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY, 
MYSTERIOUS HUMAN RACE INTO THE 
ETERNITY THAT NONE OF US KNOW 
VERY MUCH ABOUT.
WHEN HE WROTE THIS POEM CALLED 
"MEANING" -- WHEN I DIE, I WILL 
SEE THE LINING OF THE WORLD, THE
OTHER SIDE BEYOND BIRD, MOUNTAIN
AND SUNSET.
THE TRUE MEANING READY TO BE 
DECODED, WHAT NEVER ADDED UP 
WILL NOW ADD UP.
WHAT WAS INCOMPREHENSIBLE WILL 
BECOME COMPREHENDED.
AND, IF THERE IS NO LINING TO 
THE WORLD, IF A THRUSH ON A 
BRANCH IS NOT A SIGN, BUT JUST A
THRUSH ON A BRANCH.
IF NIGHT AND DAY MAKE NO SENSE 
FOLLOWING EACH OTHER AND ON THIS
EARTH THERE IS NOTHING BUT THE 
EARTH.
EVEN IF THAT IS SO, THERE WILL 
REMAIN A WORD WAKENED BY THE 
LIPS THAT PERISH, A TIRELESS 
MESSENGER WHO RUNS AND RUNS 
THROUGH INTERSTELLAR PLACES, 
THROUGH REVOLVING GALAXIES AND 
CALLS OUT AND PROTESTS AND 
SCREAMS.
I SUBMIT THAT JOHN IN THAT OTHER
ETERNITY WILL BE HEARD BY US 
AGAIN AND AGAIN RUNNING THROUGH 
THE GALAXIES, STILL PROCLAIMING 
THAT WE THE PEOPLE OF THE USA 
CAN ONE DAILY UY LIVE UP TO THE 
MEANING OF WE LIVE THESE TRUTHS,
LIVE UP TO THE MEANING THAT WE 
THE PEOPLE OF THE USA IN ORDER 
TO PERFECT A MORE PERFECT UNION.
JOHN LEWIS PRACTICED NOT THE 
POLITICS THAT WE CALL 
BIPARTISAN.
JOHN LEWIS PRACTICED THE 
POLITICS THAT WE THE PEOPLE OF 
THE U.S. NEED MORE DESPERATELY 
THAN EVER BEFORE, THE POLITICS 
OF THE DECLARATION OF 
INDEPENDENCE, THE POLITICS OF 
THE PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE UNITED STATES.
I'VE READ MANY OF THE SO-CALLED 
CIVIL RIGHTS BOOKS OF THE LAST 
50 OR 60 YEARS ABOUT THE PERIOD 
BETWEEN 1953 AND 1973.
MOST OF THE BOOKS ARE WRONG 
ABOUT JOHN LEWIS.
MOST OF THE BOOKS ARE WRONG 
ABOUT HOW JOHN GOT ENGAGED IN 
THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN OF 1959 
AND '60.
THIS IS THE 60th YEAR OF THE 
SIT-IN CAMPAIGN WHICH SWEPT INTO
EVERY STATE OF THE UNION, 
LARGELY MANNED BY STUDENTS 
BECAUSE WE RECRUITED STUDENTS, 
BUT PUT ON THE MAP THAT THE 
NONVIOLENT STRUGGLE BEGUN IN 
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.
IT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT, BUT AS 
MARTIN KING JR. CALLED IT, 
CHRISTIAN LOVE HAS POWER THAT WE
HAVE NEVER TAPPED AND IF WE USE 
IT, WE CAN TRANSFORM NOT ONLY 
OUR OWN LIVES BUT WE'LL 
TRANSFORM THE EARTH IN WHICH WE 
LIVE.
I COUNTED AS I MOVED TO 
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE DROPPING 
OUT OF GRADUATE SCHOOL IN 
NATU
NASHVILLE CAME PEOPLE LIKE KELLY
SMITH, HELEN ROBERTS AND JOHN 
LEWIS AND DIANE NASH, C.T. 
VIVIAN, MARION BERRY, JIM BEVEL,
JOHN LAFAYETTE, PAULINA KNIGHT, 
ANGELA BUTLER.
HOW ALL OF US GATHERED IN 1958 
AND '59, '60, '61 IN THE SAME 
CITY AND SAME TIME, WE DID NOT 
PLAN IT.
WE WERE ALL LED THERE.
WHEN KELLY MILLER SMITH AND THE 
NATIONAL CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP 
COUNCIL MET IN THE FALL OF 1958 
AND WE DETERMINED THAT IF 
THERE'S TO BE A SECOND MAJOR 
CAMPAIGN THAT WILL DEMONSTRATE 
THE EFFICACY OF SOUL FORCE, OF 
LOVE TRUTH, THAT WE WOULD HAVE 
TO DO IT IN NASHVILLE.
SO I PLANNED AS THE STRATEGIST 
AND ORGANIZER A FOUR-POINT 
GHANDI PROGRAM TO COMPLETE THE 
CAMPAIGN.
WE DECIDED WITH GREAT FEAR AND 
ANTICIPATION WE WOULD DID
DESEGREGATE DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE.
NO PEOPLE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE 
UNITED STATES AGAINST A 
SEGREGATED SYSTEM EVER THOUGHT 
ABOUT DESEGREGATING DOWNTOWN, 
TEARING DOWN THE SIGNS, 
RENOVATING THE WAITING ROOMS, 
TAKING THE IMMORAL SIGNS OFF 
DRINKING FOUNTAINS.
IT WAS BLACK WOMEN WHO MADE THAT
DECISION FOR US IN NASHVILLE.
I WAS SCARED TO DEATH WHEN WE 
MADE THAT DECISION.
I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT HOW WE WERE
GOING TO DO THIS.
I HAD NEVER DONE IT BEFORE.
BUT WE PLANNED THE STRATEGY.
JOHN LEWIS DID NOT STUMBLE IN ON
THAT CAMPAIGN.
KELLY MILLER SMITH, HIS TEACHER 
AT ABC, INVITED JOHN TO JOIN THE
WORKSHOPS IN THE FALL OF 1959 AS
WE PREPARED OURSELVES TO FACE 
VIOLENCE AND TO DO DIRECT ACTION
AND TO PUT ON THE MAP THE ISSUE 
THAT THE RACISM AND THE 
SEGREGATION OF THE NATION HAD TO
END.
SO ON THE 60th ANNIVERSARY OF 
THAT SIT-IN CAMPAIGN, WHICH 
BECAME THE SECOND MAJOR CAMPAIGN
OF THE NONVIOLENT MOVEMENT OF 
AMERICA, THOSE ARE NOT MY WORDS.
JOHN LEWIS CALLED WHAT WE DID 
BETWEEN 1953 AND 1973 THE 
NONVIOLENT MOVEMENT OF AMERICA, 
NOT THE CRM.
I THINK WE NEED TO GET THE STORY
STRAIGHT BECAUSE WORDS ARE 
POWERFUL.
HISTORY MUST BE WRITTEN IN SUCH 
A FASHION THAT IT LIFTS UP TRULY
THE SPIRIT OF THE JOHN LEWISES 
OF THE WORLD.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THAT'S WHY I'VE CHOSEN JUST TO 
SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT IT.
KELLY MILLER SMITH INVITED JOHN 
LEWIS.
I MET A FIFTH STUDENT WHO TOLD 
ME ABOUT A STUDENT FROM CHICAGO 
WHO WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
THOSE VICIOUS SIGNS.
I SAID INVITE DIANE NASH TO THE 
WORKSHOP IN SEPTEMBER BECAUSE 
WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING 
ABOUT THOSE SIGNS.
I PUSHED THIS HARD.
NOW JOHN LEWIS HAD NO CHOICE IN 
THE MATTER.
YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT.
BECAUSE ALL THE STORIES WE'VE 
HEARD THIS MORNING OF JOHN 
BECOMING A PREACHER, PREACHING 
TO THE CHICKENS AND OTHER SORTS 
OF THINGS, BECOMING ORDAINED AS 
A BAPTIST MINISTER, SOMETHING 
ELSE WAS HAPPENING TO JOHN IN 
THOSE EARLY YEARS.
JOHN SAW THE MALIGNANCY OF 
RACISM IN TROY, ALABAMA.
THERE FORMED IN HIM A 
SENSIBILITY THAT HE HAD TO DO 
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT THAT WAS, 
BUT HE WAS CONVINCED HE WAS 
CALLED TO DO WHATEVER HE COULD 
DO, GET IN GOOD TROUBLE, BUT 
STOP THE HORROR THAT SO MANY 
FOLKS LIVED THROUGH AND IN IN 
THIS COUNTRY IN THAT PART OF THE
20th CENTURY.
JOHN WAS NOT ALONE.
MARTIN KING HAD THE SAME 
EXPERIENCE AS A BOY.
I HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE FROM 
AGE 4 IN THE STREETS OF 
MAISLAND, OHIO.
MATTHEW McCULLOUGH A MAN WHOSE 
NAME YOU DON'T KNOW HAD THE SAME
EXPERIENCE.
C.T. VIVIAN HAD THE SAME 
EXPERIENCE.
I MAINTAIN MANY OF US HAD NO 
CHOICE TO DO, BUT WE TRIED TO DO
PRIMARILY BECAUSE AT AN EARLY 
AGE WE RECOGNIZED THE WRONG 
UNDER WHICH WE WERE FORCED TO 
LIVE AND WE SWORE TO GOD THAT BY
GOD'S GRACE WE WOULD DO WHATEVER
GOD CALLED US TO DO IN ORDER TO 
PUT ON THE TABLE OF THE NATION'S
AGENDA THIS MUST END.
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
[ APPLAUSE ]
SO BETWEEN 1953 AND 1973 WE HAD 
MAJOR CAMPAIGNS YEAR AFTER YEAR.
THOUSANDS OF DEMONSTRATIONS 
ACROSS THE NATION THAT SUPPORTED
IT.
WE HAD FOLK IN THE CONGRESS, 
FOLK IN THE WHITE HOUSE, FOLK 
SCATTERED ACROSS THE UNITED 
STATES THAT WERE BEGINNING TO 
FORMULATE THE SOLUTIONS FOR 
CHANGE.
THE MEDIA MAKES A MISTAKE WHEN 
JOHN IS SEEN ONLY IN 
RELATIONSHIP TO THE VOTING 
RIGHTS BILL OF '65.
HOWEVER IMPORTANT THAT IS, YOU 
MUST REMEMBER THAT IN THE '60s 
LYNDON JOHNSON AND THE CONGRESS 
OF THE UNITED STATES PASSED THE 
MOST ADVANCED LEGISLATION ON 
BEHALF OF WE THE PEOPLE OF THE 
UNITED STATES THAT WAS EVER 
PASSED.
HEAD START, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS 
FOR HOUSING.
WE WOULD NOT BE IN THE STRUGGLE 
WE ARE TODAY IN HOUSING IF 
PRESIDENT REAGAN HADN'T CUT THAT
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR HOUSING.
LOCAL CHURCHES AND LOCAL 
NONPROFITS COULD BUILD 
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THEIR OWN 
COMMUNITIES BEING SUSTAINED AS 
FINANCE BY LOANS FROM THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE PASSED MEDICARE.
WE PASSED ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAMS,
CIVIL RIGHTS BILL '64, '65, 
VOTING RIGHTS BILLS, A WHOLE 
ARRAY.
JOHN LEWIS MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS
ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THE 
GREATEST ADVANCE OF CONGRESS AND
THE WHITE HOUSE ON BEHALF OF WE 
THE PEOPLE OF THE USA.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WE DO NOT NEED BIPARTISAN 
POLITICS IF WE'RE GOING TO 
CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF JOHN 
LEWIS.
WE NEED THE CONSTITUTION TO COME
ALIVE.
WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE 
SELF-EVIDENT.
WE NEED THE CONGRESS AND THE 
PRESIDENT TO WORK UNFALTERING ON
BEHALF OF EVERY BOY AND EVERY 
GIRL SO EVERY BABY BORN ON THESE
SHORES WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE 
TREE OF LIFE.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO HONOR 
JOHN ROBERT LEWIS.
NO OTHER WAY.
LET ALL OF US IN THIS SERVICE 
TODAY, LET ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE
USA DETERMINE THAT WE WILL NOT 
BE QUIET AS LONG AS ANY CHILD 
DIES IN THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE 
IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE WILL NOT BE QUIET AS LONG AS 
THE LARGEST POVERTY GROUP IN OUR
NATION ARE WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
WE WILL NOT BE QUIET AS LONG AS 
OUR NATION CONTINUES TO BE THE 
MOST VIOLENT CULTURE IN THE 
HISTORY OF HUMAN KIND.
WE WILL NOT BE QUIET AS LONG AS 
OUR ECONOMY IS SHAPED, NOT BY 
FREEDOM, BUT BY PLANTATION 
CAPITALISM THAT CONTINUES TO 
CAUSE DOMINATION AND CONTROL 
RATHER THAN ACCESS AND LIBERTY 
AND EQUALITY FOR ALL.
THE FORCES OF SPIRITUAL 
WICKEDNESS ARE STRONG IN OUR 
LAND BECAUSE OF OUR HISTORY.
WE HAVE NOT CREATED THEM.
JOHN LEWIS DID NOT CREATE THEM.
WE INHERITED THEM, BUT IT'S OUR 
TASK TO SEE THOSE SPIRITUAL 
FORCES -- I'VE NAMED THEM.
RACISM, SEXISM, VIOLENCE, 
PLANTATION CAPITALISM.
THOSE POISON AND DOMINATE FAR 
TOO MANY OF US IN MANY DIFFERENT
WAYS.
JOHN'S LIFE WAS A SINGULAR 
JOURNEY FROM BIRTH THROUGH THE 
CAMPAIGNS IN THE SOUTH AND 
THROUGH CONGRESS TO GET US TO 
SEE THAT THESE FORCES OF 
WICKEDNESS MUST BE RESISTED.
DO NOT LET OUR OWN HEARTS DRINK 
ANY OF THAT POISON.
INSTEAD, DRINK THE TRUTH OF THE 
LIFE FORCE.
IF WE WOULD HONOR AND CELEBRATE 
JOHN LEWIS' LIFE, LET US THEN 
USE OUR SOULS, OUR MINDS, OUR 
HEARTS, OUR BODIES, OUR STRENGTH
TO THE CONTINUING JOURNEY TO 
DISMANTLE THE WRONG IN OUR MIDST
AND TO ALLOW A SPACE FOR THE NEW
EARTH AND NEW HEAVEN TO EMERGE.
I CLOSE WITH THIS POEM FROM 
LANGSTON HUGHES WHICH IS A KIND 
OF SIGN AND SYMBOL OF WHAT JOHN 
LEWIS REPRESENTS AND WHAT WE TOO
CAN REPRESENT IN OUR CONTINUING 
JOURNEY.
LANGSTON HUGHES.
I DREAM A WORLD WHERE NO HUMAN, 
NO OTHER HUMAN WILL SCORN, WHERE
LOVE WILL BLESS THE EARTH AND 
TEST ITS PATH.
I DREAM A DREAM WHERE ALL WILL 
KNOW SWEET FREEDOM'S WAY, WHERE 
GREED NO LONGER SAPS THE SOUL, 
NOR BLIGHTS OR DAY.
A WORLD I DREAM WHERE BLACK AND 
WHITE AND YELLOW AND BLUE AND 
GREEN AND RED AND BROWN, 
WHATEVER YOUR RACE MAY BE, WILL 
SHARE THE BOUNTIES OF THE EARTH 
AND EVERY WOMAN, MAN, BOY AND 
GIRL IS FREE.
WHERE WRETCHEDNESS HANGS ITS 
HEAD AND JOY LIKE A PEARL 
ATTENDS THE NEED OF ALL HUMAN 
KIND.
SUCH A WORLD I DREAM.
CELEBRATE LIFE.
DREAM AND LABOR FOR AN ATLANTA, 
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES AND A
WORLD, THAT IS TO CELEBRATE THE 
SPIRIT AND THE HEART AND THE 
MIND AND SOUL OF JOHN LEWIS AND 
TO WALK WITH HIM THROUGH THE 
GALAXIES SEEKING EQUALITY, 
LIBERTY, JUSTICE AND THE BELOVED
COMMUNITY FOR ALL.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> WHAT A MIND, WHAT POWER FROM 
JAMES LAWSON, HONORING THE MIND,
SPIRIT AND SOUL OF JOHN LEWIS.
91 YEARS OLD.
PASTOR WARNICK.
>> THREE LIVING PRESIDENTS WITH 
US TODAY.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM YET ANOTHER.
TO THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF 
CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS, ROSALYN 
JOINS ME IN SENDING OUR 
CONDOLENCES.
THROUGHOUT HIS REMARKABLE LIFE 
JOHN HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO 
COUNTLESS PEOPLE AND WE ARE 
PROUD TO BE AMONG THOSE WHOSE 
LIVES HE HAS TOUCHED.
WHILE HIS ACHIEVEMENTS ARE 
ENJOYED BY ALL AMERICANS, WE 
GEORGIANS KNOW HIM AS OUR 
NEIGHBOR, FRIEND AND 
REPRESENTATIVE.
HIS ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTIONS WILL 
CONTINUE TO BE AN INSPIRATION 
FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN OUR 
HEARTS AND PRAYERS DURING THIS 
DIFFICULT TIME.
WE HOPE YOUR WARM MEMORIES AND 
THE LOVE AND PRAYERS OF YOUR 
FAMILY AND FRIENDS WILL BE OF 
COMFORT TO YOU IN THE DAYS 
AHEAD.
SINCERELY, JIMMY CARTER.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> ANOTHER MUSICAL SELECTION 
FROM KATHLEEN BERTRAN, "IF I CAN
HELP SOMEBODY."
♪
♪
♪ IF I CAN HELP SOMEBODY AS I 
PASS ALONG ♪
♪ IF I CAN CHEER SOMEBODY WITH A
WORD OR A SONG ♪
♪ IF I CAN SHOW SOMEBODY THAT 
HE'S TRAVELING WRONG ♪
♪ THEN MY LIVING SHALL NOT BE IN
VAIN ♪
♪ THEN MY LIVING SHALL NOT BE IN
VAIN ♪
♪ YES, MY LIVING SHALL NOT BE IN
VAIN ♪
♪ IF I COULD HELP SOMEBODY AS I 
PASS ALONG ♪
♪ THEN MY LIVING SHALL NOT BE IN
VAIN ♪
♪ OH, IF I CAN DO MY DUTY AS A 
CHRISTIAN ♪
♪ IF I CAN BRING THAT BEAUTY IN 
A WORLD OF GOD ♪
♪ IF I COULD SHARE LOVE'S 
MESSAGE LIKE THE MASTER TAUGHT ♪
♪ THEN MY LIVING SHALL NOT BE IN
VAIN ♪
♪ THEN MY LIVING SHALL NOT BE IN
VAIN ♪
♪ YES, MY LIVING, YES, IT SHALL 
NOT, SHALL NOT BE IN VAIN ♪
♪ IF I COULD HELP SOMEBODY, IF I
COULD HELP SOMEBODY AS I PASS 
ALONG ♪
♪ THEN MY LIVING, IT SHALL NO
NONOT, 
THEN MY LIVING, IT SHALL NOT, 
THEN HIS LIVING, YES, SHALL NOT,
HALLELUJAH, HIS LIVING, HIS 
LIVING SHALL NOT, THEN MY LIVING
SHALL NOT BE IN VAIN ♪
♪ HIS LIVING SHALL NOT BE IN 
VAIN ♪
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> KATHLEEN BERTRAND.
THE NEXT SPEAKER, THE FOUNDER OF
THE TRUMPET FOUNDATION, LONG 
SUPPORTED BY JOHN LEWIS.
FIRST HUGS WE'VE SEEN TODAY.
>> I WANT TO FIRST CALL 
ATTENTION TO THE EXCELLENT JOB 
THE MEDIA HAS DONE TO INFORM US 
OF JOHN LEWIS.
HASN'T THE MEDIA BEEN TREMENDOUS
IN KEEPING US INFORMED?
[ APPLAUSE ]
I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH COVERAGE, 
BUT JOHN DESERVED IT.
I WANT TO TALK A MOMENT IN MY 
PRESENTATION ON JOHN BEFORE HE 
BECAME FAMOUS.
I MET JOHN WHEN I CAME TOO 
ATLA
ATLANTA.
LILLIAN MILES AND I CAME TO 
ATLANTA ON THE SAME DAY.
SHE CAME TO WORK FOR ATLANTA 
UNIVERSITY AND I CAME TO WORK 
FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. IN 
THE SOUTHERN LEADERSHIP 
CONFERENCE.
THAT'S WHEN I MET JOHN.
SAW HIM ALL THE TIME.
WE WERE ALL INVOLVED IN THE SAME
QUEST FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE IN 
THIS AMERICA.
I GOT A CHANCE TO SEE HIM ALL 
THE TIME.
I ADMIRED HIS FERVOR AND ALL HIS
TENACITY.
LILLIAN WAS SINGLE.
SO I DECIDED THAT LILLIAN NEEDED
A GOOD MAN, NOT JUST THE BUMS 
WHO WERE APPROACHING HER.
SHE WAS HIGHLY INTELLECTUAL, 
WELL-TRAVELLED, WELL-EDUCATED 
AND I WANTED HER TO HAVE SOMEONE
WHO REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE HER 
SKILLS AND HER TALENT.
SO I LOOKED AROUND AND DECIDED 
THAT I LIKED JOHN.
LILLIAN DIDN'T LIKE JOHN 
PARTICULARLY.
SO SHE THOUGHT HE WAS KIND OF 
SLOW.
I SAID, BUT, LILLIAN, HE'S BUSY.
HE'S FIGHTING THE EVILS OF THE 
WORLD AND SHE SAID, YES, BUT.
WELL I DECIDED, GIRL, LISTEN, 
THIS BOY IS GOING PLACES.
LET'S SEE WHAT HE CAN DO TO GET 
THIS THING MOVING.
SO WE DECIDED -- WELL, I DID, AS
HER FRIEND.
THAT'S WHAT YOU DO FOR FRIENDS.
YOU HAVE TO HELP THEM OUT.
SO JOHN HAD TO GO TO THE 
HOSPITAL FOR AN EXAMINATION AND 
I SAID, OH, LILLIAN, THIS WILL 
BE A GOOD MOMENT FOR US TO BE 
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE.
WE WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE AND
BOUGHT A BUNCH OF FLOWERS AND 
TOOK IT TO THE HOSPITAL.
I SAID HE'LL BE IMPRESSED 
BECAUSE HE WAS A LITTLE SLOW 
TOO.
I SAID WE'LL GO TO THE HOSPITAL 
AND THAT WOULD JUST IMPRESS HIM,
THAT HE WILL NOTICE YOU MORE 
BECAUSE YOU'RE BRINGING HIM 
FLOWERS WHILE HE'S IN THE 
HOSPITAL.
WELL, WE GOT IN THE HOSPITAL.
THERE WAS A YOUNG WOMAN ALREADY 
THERE AND SHE WAS STRETCHING OUT
HIS PILLOW AND ADJUSTING HIS 
COMFORT.
THEN LILLIAN SAID, OH, SHOOT.
I SAID I ALREADY ASKED JOHN, 
JOHN, DO YOU HAVE A YOUNG WOMAN 
YOU'RE ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN?
HE SAID, WELL, NOT REALLY.
I SAID THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER I'M
LOOKING FOR.
I WANT A MORE DEFINITIVE ANSWER 
BECAUSE I GOT SOME THINGS IN 
MIND.
WELL, YOU KNOW JOHN, WAS SLOW 
ABOUT -- WELL, NOT REALLY.
I DECIDED ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, 
LILLIAN WAS SINGLE, AS I SAID, 
AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY PLANS.
I SAID I'LL HAVE A DINNER PARTY 
AND INVITE THE TWO OF THEM AND 
MAYBE THAT WILL GIVE US A 
CHANCE.
I WAS KNOWN AS ONE WHO GAVE BIG 
PARTIES.
LILLIAN THOUGHT I WAS HAVING A 
BIG PARTY.
JOHN THOUGHT I WAS HAVING A BIG 
PARTY.
WHEN THEY GOT TO MY HOUSE, THERE
WAS ONLY ROOM FOR THREE OF US.
THE TWO OF THEM AND ME.
SO NOW WE'RE DISCUSSING THE 
WORLD AND I'M HOPING THAT 
THEY'RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE 
CLOSER AND CLOSER.
WELL, WHEN JOHN DIDN'T HAVE A 
DATE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, I KNEW 
HE DIDN'T HAVE A COMMITMENT.
EVERYBODY HAS A DATE ON NEW 
YEAR'S EVE WITH SOMEBODY.
I FIGURED I'M AHEAD OF THE GAME.
IT'S NEW YEAR'S EVE, I GOT HIM.
THEN THINGS STARTED TO HAPPEN.
STILL SLOWLY, NOT FAST ENOUGH 
FOR ME, BUT I WAS PATIENT.
FINALLY LILLIAN SAID I DO LIKE 
HIM.
I SAID, OKAY, I'M READY NOW.
I'LL SET A DATE.
GOT HER A DRESS READY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WEDDING.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE -- I ASKED 
JOHN NOT TOO LONG AGO, DID WE 
EVER ASK HER IF YOU WOULD TAKE 
HER?
I DON'T THINK I GAVE HIM AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO PROPOSE.
WE JUST HAD A WEDDING.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND SO NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THINGS 
ARE GOING TO BE OKAY.
WE HAD A BIG WEDDING.
I DID ALL THE PLANNING BECAUSE 
LILLIAN WAS STILL SLOW.
I DID ALL THE PLANNING.
ALL THE FAMILY CAME.
WE HAD A WEDDING.
NOW THINGS WERE DOING OKAY.
SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I DON'T LIKE
THE IDEA OF THAT GIRL.
LOOKS LIKE SHE HAD SOME DESIGNS 
ON JOHN.
I SAID, HONEY, DON'T RUN AWAY 
FROM COMPETITION.
WE CAN HAND LE COMPETITION.
WE'LL GET RID OF THAT GIRL SO 
FAST SHE WON'T KNOW WHAT 
HAPPENED TO HER.
AND WE DID.
AND THEY GOT MARRIED.
WELL, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THEY 
WERE VERY HAPPY, BUT WHEN SHE 
FOUND OUT -- LILLIAN AS I SAID 
WELL-TRAVELLED, WELL-EDUCATED, 
BUT SHE DIDN'T LIKE POLITICS.
BUT, WHEN JOHN EXPRESSED AN 
INTEREST, LILLIAN GOT IN THERE 
AND BECAME HIS STRONGEST 
SUPPORTER.
I MEAN, SHE DID EVERYTHING, 
EVERYTHING TO MAKE HIS SUCCESSES
WORK FOR HIM AND THEY DID.
WELL, THEN JOHN MILES CAME 
ALONG.
HE WAS THE CUTEST LITTLE BOY.
THEN SHE SAID -- THEY GAVE ME 
THE HONOR OF BEING HIS 
GODMOTHER.
I SAID, OH, THAT'S NICE.
I HEARD OF GODMOTHERS BEFORE.
WHAT DOES A GODMOTHER DO?
SHE SAID IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO
ME AND JOHN, WE WANT YOU TO TAKE
CARE OF HIM.
I SAID I GOT TO FEED HIM?
JOHN MILES COULD EAT AS A KID.
I SAID I GOT TO FEED HIM EVERY 
DAY?
THEY SAID YES.
THEN SPANK HIM WHEN HE ACTS UP.
WELL, I AGREED TO THAT.
JOHN MILES, DO YOU MIND, STAND 
UP?
STAND UP, JOHN MILES.
THAT'S JOHN MILES THERE NOW.
NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.
TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT JOHN MILES.
I'M 4'11".
I'M ALMOST 90 YEARS OLD.
THERE HE IS.
I'M SUPPOSED TO SPANK HIM WHEN 
HE DOESN'T DO RIGHT?
NOW, WHEN I WALK UP TO JOHN 
MILES TO GIVE HIM A SPANKING, I 
GOT TO GET PERMISSION FROM HIM.
COULD I SPANK YOU?
HE'S PRETTY BIG NOW.
I LOVED JOHN MILES THEN AND I 
LOVE JOHN MILES NOW.
I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU AND 
SPANK YOU WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR
NOT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
LILLIAN AND JOHN STAYED MARRIED.
I PUT IT TOGETHER, BUT IT LASTED
43 YEARS.
THAT'S NOT A BAD RECORD, IS IT?
THEY WERE HAPPY AND LILLIAN GAVE
HIM EVERY SUPPORT A WIFE COULD 
EVER GIVE A PARTNER.
THEY GAVE LOVE TO JOHN MILES IN 
THE PROCESS.
JOHN WAS AN UNUSUAL INDIVIDUAL.
AMBASSADOR YOUNG SITTING OVER 
HERE.
WE ALL LOVED HIM ALL THE TIME.
HIS SINCERITY WAS APPARENT.
HE WORKED HARD AND HE SAID THAT 
HE WASN'T GOING TO STOP.
I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU 
ANYTHING ABOUT JOHN.
ALL OF YOU KNEW HIM.
ALL OF YOU KNOW HIS FERVOR AND 
HIS COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND THE
LOVE HE HAD FOR EVERYBODY.
AND I WANT US TO LOOK AT THE 
JOHN WE THOUGHT WE KNEW, THE 
JOHN WHO CONVINCED US WE KNEW 
THE REAL MAN BECAUSE HE WAS 
CONSTANT.
I ASKED HIM ONE TIME, JOHN, WHAT
IN THE WORLD IS BAD TROUBLE?
I SAID, WHEN I WAS A YOUNG GIRL,
MY SISTER AND I'VE EVERY TIME W 
WENT ON A DATE, HAVE A GOOD 
TIME, BUT DON'T GET IN TROUBLE.
WE DIDN'T KNOW NOTHING ELSE 
OTHER THAN TROUBLE ISN'T GOOD.
JOHN SAID THE GOOD TROUBLE IS 
WHEN YOUR MOTHER SAYS DON'T GET 
IN TROUBLE, FIND THE WAYS TO 
RIGHT THE WRONGS OF OUR SOCIETY.
HE DID A PRETTY DECENT JOB OF 
THAT.
[ APPLAUSE ]
DURING THIS WEEK JOHN WAS ON 
TELEVISION ALL DAY EVERY DAY.
I LOVE YOUNG PEOPLE.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY -- PEOPLE 
KNOW I LOVE YOUNG PEOPLE.
I WAS INVITED TO SPEAK TO A 
GROUP OF KIDS.
I SAID TO THEM, AS YOU'RE 
WATCHING TELEVISION, I WANT YOU 
TO KNOW THAT'S NOT A PUBLIC 
RELATIONS PROGRAM YOU'RE 
WATCHING.
THAT'S THE STORY OF A MAN WHO 
LIVED THE LIFE THEY'RE TALKING 
ABOUT.
JOHN MADE A DECISION ON THE KIND
OF LIFE HE WAS GOING TO LIVE.
I SAID TO THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE, 
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF 
MAKING YOUR LIFE HAVE THE 
MEANING YOU WANT IT TO BE.
YOU CAN EITHER DECIDE TO BE THE 
BANK ROBBER OR THE BANK OWNER.
IT'S YOUR CHOICE.
THE MAN YOU'RE SEEING ON 
TELEVISION DECIDED THAT HIS LIFE
WAS GOING TO HAVE A QUALITY TO 
IT.
DO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AS LONG AS
YOU CAN AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN 
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT JOHN LEWIS 
DID.
WE WON'T FORGET JOHN.
BUT I WOULD WANT TO TELL YOU, 
DON'T SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO 
THESE PRAISES.
DON'T FORGET WHAT YOU READ IN 
THE NEWSPAPERS OF HOW WONDERFUL 
HE WAS.
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE MAN HE 
ASKED US TO BE IN OURSELVES AND 
THAT IS BE KIND TO EVERYBODY.
LOVE EVERYBODY.
SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT.
I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU.
YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAID.
WHAT YOU CAN DO, AND I WANT TO 
ADVISE YOU AND ADMONISH YOU, TO 
REALLY GIVE MEANING TO THE JOHN 
WE LOVE.
VOTE.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> TALKING ABOUT THE LOVE STORY 
OF JOHN LEWIS AND HIS WORK.
WILLIAM CLAY CAMPBELL, THE 
FORMER MAYOR OF THE CITY OF 
ATLANTA.
>> TO JOHN MILES, PRESIDENTS 
CLINTON AND OBAMA, SPEAKER 
PELOSI, MADAM MAYOR, ROMANS 8:18
TELLS US FOR I CONSIDER THE 
SUFFERINGS OF THE PRESENT TIME 
TO NOT BE WORTHY OF THE GLORY 
WHICH SHALL BE REVEALED TO US.
WHEN I MET JOHN LEWIS OVER 40 
YEARS AGO, OUR LIVES INTERSECTED
BECAUSE IN 1960 HE CAME TO MY 
HOMETOWN, RALEIGH, NORTH 
CAROLINA TO FORM SNICK AT A 
SMALL BLACK COLLEGE, SHAW 
UNIVERSITY, WHERE MY FATHER WHO 
WAS PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP LED 
NIGHTLY CIVIL RIGHTS 
DEMONSTRATIONS.
AGAIN, IN 1963 OUR LIVES 
INTERSECTED BECAUSE MY FATHER 
RETURNED FROM THE MARCH ON 
WASHINGTON AND HE BEGAN RAVING 
ABOUT A SPEAKER, YOUNG JOHN 
LEWIS, WHO ELECTRIFIED THE 
CROWD.
SO IMAGINE WHEN I FINALLY MET 
HIM IN ATLANTA IN 1976 AS A 
YOUNG LAW STUDENT, IT WAS A 
TRANSCENDENT MOMENT LIKE MEETING
AN HISTORICAL FIGURE, THOMAS 
JEFFERSON OR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 
WHO WROTE THE DID ECLARATION OF 
INDEPENDENCE, BUT HERE WAS 
SOMEONE WHO MADE A NATION LIVE 
UP TO THOSE WORDS ALONG WITH 
MARTIN KING, C.T. VIVIAN.
JOHN HAD AN INTEGRITY AND A 
PURITY WHICH WAS LIKE A HALO.
SOMEHOW THIS EXTENDED TO 
EVERYONE WHO WAS IN HIS ORBIT, 
MYSELF INCLUDED.
THAT'S THE REASON THE NATION HAS
PAUSED FROM PANDEMIC AND 
PROTESTS AND POLITICS TO BID HIM
FAREWELL TODAY.
VIRTUALLY EVERY NEWS 
ORGANIZATION HAS HAILED JOHN AS 
A CIVIL RIGHTS HERO.
JOHN WAS A WOMEN'S RIGHTS HERO.
A GAY RIGHTS HERO.
A SENIOR'S RIGHTS HERO.
A WORKER'S HERO.
JOHN WASN'T ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF
HISTORY.
HISTORY WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF
JOHN LEWIS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
IN HIS SPARE TIME HE INTRODUCED 
THE LEGISLATION TO CREATE THE 
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MUSEUM 
AND HE FOUGHT THE B
BIGOTS IN 
CONGRESS FOR 15 YEARS.
ONE OF HIS PROUDEST MOMENTS WAS 
STANDING AT THE DEDICATION OF 
THAT MONUMENTAL STRUCTURE FOUR 
YEARS AGO.
FOR THOSE WHO WONDERED IF 
PERHAPS HIS TIME HAD PASSED, 
WITH HIS BODY RAVAGED WITH 
CANCER, SO FRAIL AND FRAGILE 
THAT HE YIELDED TO A CANE IN 
WHAT HE SURELY KNEW WOULD BE HIS
LAST PUBLIC APPEARANCE, HE 
SUMMONED THE STRENGTH TO WALK TO
THE MIDDLE OF BLACK LIVES PLAZA 
IN WASHINGTON, D.C. TO EXPRESS 
HIS SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT FOR 
THE YOUNG PROTESTERS WHO HAD 
BEGUN TO CHANGE AMERICA AS JOHN 
LEWIS DID AS A YOUNG MAN.
THEY SAY THAT THE VICTORS WRITE 
HISTORY.
I DECLARE TODAY THE HISTORY OF 
THE 20th CENTURY AS IT IS 
WRITTEN, JOHN LEWIS WILL STAND 
BESIDE GHANDI, KING AND MANDELA 
AS ONE OF THE GREAT FREEDOM 
FIGHTERS OF HUMAN KIND.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WHILE THE NATION MOURNS A GREAT 
LEADER, I WILL MISS A DEAR, 
LOVING AND LOYAL FRIEND WHO 
ALLOWED ME THE EXTRAORDINARY 
PRIVILEGE TO WALK ALONG BESIDE 
OF A LIVING SAINT, ST. LEWIS.
IN THE LAST DAYS OF HIS LIFE 
WHEN WE BOTH KNEW THAT DEATH WAS
IMMINENT, I DESPERATELY WANTED 
TO TELL JOHN ABOUT HOW MUCH HE 
MEANT TO ME AND THE COUNTRY.
IN A SOLEMN MOMENT HE PULLED ME 
CLOSE AND WHISPERED EVERYONE HAS
TO VOTE IN NOVEMBER.
IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION
EVER.
[ APPLAUSE ]
I PROMISED HIM WITH EVERY FIBER 
IN MY BODY I WOULD TELL EVERYONE
IF YOU TRULY WANT TO HONOR THIS 
HUMBLE HERO, MAKE SURE YOU VOTE.
FIRST TELLS US WHEN FAITH HOPE 
AND LOVE REMAIN, THE GREATEST OF
THESE IS LOVE.
JOHN LEWIS WAS LOVE.
GOOD NIGHT, SWEET PRINCE.
MAY FLIGHTS OF ANGELS CARRY 
THEE. 
>> FORMER MAYOR OF ATLANTA, BILL
CAMPBELL.
LONG-TIME FRIEND OF JOHN LEWIS 
WITH HIS LAST WORDS.
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM JANELLE 
THOMPSON WHO SERVED AS DEPUTY 
CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE 
CONGRESSMAN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I HAVE ON TWO MASKS BECAUSE I 
HAVE MR. LEWIS' VOICE IN MY HEAD
AND HE WOULD SAY BE PARTICULAR.
MY NAME IS JAMELLA THOMPSON.
ON BEHALF OF THE STAFF I WOULD 
LIKE TO THANK JOHN MILES AND THE
ENTIRE LEWIS FAMILY FOR THE 
HONOR AND THE PRIVILEGE OF 
SHARING THE CONGRESSMAN AND 
MRS. LEWIS, WHO WAS HIS PARTNER 
IN LIFE AND IN PUBLIC SERVICE 
WITH GENERATIONS OF HIS STAFF 
FOR THE LAST 33 YEARS IN THE 
CELEBRATION OF HIS LIFE AND 
LEGACY.
THE CONGRESSMAN WOULD WANT ME TO
TELL YOU, AS I LIKE AT YOU TODAY
IN HIS FAVORITE COLOR, YOU LOOK 
GOOD.
YOU LOOK FRESH.
YOU LOOK CLEAN.
YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL.
THANK YOU.
WE ARE HONORED TO SERVE YOU.
WE WERE HONORED TO SERVE HIM.
WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS 
OUR SINCERE AND GREAT 
APPRECIATION TO THE SPEAKER OF 
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 
THE MAJORITY LEADER, THE 
MAJORITY WHIP, THE CLERK OF THE 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE 
OFFICE OF EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE, 
THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS 
AND ALL OF YOUR AMAZING STAFF 
FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND YOUR 
GUIDANCE DURING THIS VERY 
DIFFICULT TIME.
PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK US WHAT WAS IT
LIKE TO WORK FOR CONGRESSMAN 
LEWIS.
WHAT WAS HE LIKE UP CLOSE?
WHAT WAS HE LIKE IN REAL LIFE?
IT IS TOO DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN.
OUR ANSWER WAS ALWAYS THE SAME.
HE'S JUST AS YOU MAY IMAGINE, 
BUT BETTER AND THAT NO DAY WAS 
EVER THE SAME.
WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE 
CONGRESSMAN IS TRUE.
HE WAS A GENTLEMEN.
HE WAS OF THE PEOPLE AND A 
PEACEFUL SOUL.
WHEN HE CAME INTO THE OFFICE 
EVERY DAY, HE WOULD GREET EVERY 
STAFFER, EVERY INTERN WITH A 
GOOD MORNING, SIR, GOOD MORNING,
MA'AM.
HE WOULD END EVERY SUCCESSFUL 
SPEECH, THANK YOU YOUNG BROTHER.
THANK YOU SISTER.
THANK YOU MY CHILD OR MY DEAR.
AS STAFF WE FELT IT WAS OUR DUTY
TO MAINTAIN A SPACE WHERE THE 
CONGRESSMAN COULD BE COMPLETELY 
AND WHOLLY HIMSELF.
IN COLLEGE WE SAY THERE'S THE 
FRESHMAN 15 YOU GAIN.
IN OUR OFFICE THERE WAS THE JOHN
LEWIS 20.
HE AND MICHAEL WOULD BRING IN 
LUNCH AND FAR TOO OFTEN DESSERT 
BECAUSE SOME CAKE, PIE OR 
BROWNIE WOULD BE CALLING OUT TO 
THEM AND THEY WOULD WANT 
EVERYONE TO COME TOGETHER AND 
SIT DOWN AND SHARE A MEAL.
WE WERE A LITTLE FAMILY, A 
LITTLE ENCLAVE.
A LOT OF DRAMA, A LOT OF FUN, 
AND SO MUCH LOVE.
HE BROKE DOWN THOSE WORK 
BARRIERS AND WELCOMED OUR 
PARENTS, OUR SPOUSES, OUR 
CHILDREN, OUR GRANDCHILDREN, OUR
NIECES AND AT THE NEPHEWS INTO 
THE CIRCLE.
SOMETIMES THE WORLD GOT A LITTLE
GLIMPSE OF OUR NEST DURING THESE
GATHERINGS AND CERTAIN VIDEOS 
MAY GO VIRAL.
WE WERE LIKE A WELL-OILED 
MACHINE WHEN IT CAME TO POLICY 
AND CASE WORK.
ALTHOUGH WE WERE LIKE THAT IN 
PUBLIC, HE ENJOYED STIRRING 
THINGS UP IN THE OFFICE.
YOU MIGHT CALL HIM A LITTLE BIT 
OF AN INSTIGATOR.
HE WOULD GET US IN TROUBLE WITH 
MICHAEL, TRY AND CORNER US WITH 
QUESTIONS AND STIR THINGS UP.
WITH TIME, YOU KNEW NOT TO TAKE 
THE BAIT AND YOU WOULD LEARN TO 
SAY, OH, NO, CONGRESSMAN, YOU'RE
NOT GOING TO GET ME TODAY.
HE WOULD LAUGH.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO
MISS THE MOST.
I'M GOING TO MISS HIS LAUGH.
NOT THE ONE YOU SEE ON 
TELEVISION, BUT THE ONE WHERE HE
WOULD BE SITTING BACK SHOOTING 
THE WIND AND HE WOULD THROW BACK
HIS HEAD AND LAUGH FROM HIS 
HEART, FROM HIS BELLY, FROM HIS 
SOUL.
SO MANY WORKERS ARE OFTEN TAUGHT
TO BE INVISIBLE.
WITH MR. LEWIS HE ALWAYS SAW YOU
AND MADE YOU FEEL SPECIAL AND 
WORTHY.
DR. KING AND ROSA PARKS SPENT 
TIME WITH HIM AS A TEENAGER AND 
IT CHANGED THE COURSE OF HIS 
LIFE.
I BELIEVE HE SPENT EVERY WAKING 
MOMENT PAYING IT FORWARD.
HE COULD BE ABSOLUTELY 
EXHAUSTED, BUT STILL TAKE ONE 
MORE PICTURE, SPEND ONE MORE 
MOMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNG 
PEOPLE.
THIS MEANT THAT WE WERE ALWAYS, 
ALWAYS, ALWAYS BEHIND SCHEDULE.
SO THE VERY FIRST LESSON IN 
STAFFING OF THE CONGRESSMAN WAS 
TO LEARN TO OPERATE ON JOHN 
LEWIS TIME, WHICH TRANSLATES 
INTO LATE, BUT TRUSTING THAT IT 
WOULD ALWAYS WORK OUT.
AS HE TOLD EVERYONE, HE COULD 
OUT WALK THE ENTIRE STAFF.
SO OUR DUTY WAS TO KEEP UP.
WHEN IT WAS TIME TO MOVE, WE 
DID.
WHEN IT WAS TIME TO BE PRESENT 
AND THE CONGRESSMAN NEEDED A 
LITTLE BIT OF QUIET, WE WOULD 
TRY TO CREATE THAT SPACE.
HE WOULD SLOW DOWN TO APPRECIATE
AND ABSORB THE MAJESTY OF THE 
MOMENT FOR HIS OWN MENTAL 
ARCHIVES.
JUST AS WE TRIED TO PRESERVE THE
SA
SANCTITY OF HIS SPACE, HE 
ALLOWED US TO BE OUR TRUE AND 
AUTHENTIC SELVES.
HE FOUND STAFF WHO WERE UNIQUE 
AND REPRESENTED A LITTLE BIT OF 
HIS PERSONALITY AND WHAT HE 
NEEDED TO COMPLIMENT IT.
WE MADE OUR WAYS TO MR. LEWIS 
THROUGH RANDOM PATHS.
COINCIDENCES, STRATEGIES AND FOR
BELIEVERS THROUGH DIVINE 
INTERVENTION.
HE DIDN'T HIRE BASED ON A 
RESUME, BUT YOUR ENERGY, YOUR 
PASSION AND YOUR POTENTIAL.
WE WERE A GROUP OF MUSICIANS, 
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, 
PHOTOGRAPHERS, DANCERS SOCIAL 
WORKERS, ENTERTAINERS, ARTISTS, 
HISTORIANS AND EVERY ONCE IN A 
WHILE AN ACTUAL LAWYER OR A 
POLITICAL SCIENTIST.
HE GOT ALL INTO OUR BUSINESS AND
WAS THERE IN SPIRIT, OR IN 
PERSON, FOR THE BIG MOMENTS.
IN THE SAME WAY THAT HE ALWAYS 
TOOK A CALL FROM MRS. LEWIS OR 
JOHN MILES, HE LET US DROP 
EVERYTHING FOR A FAMILY 
EMERGENCY.
GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN HAVE 
FOND MEMORIES OF HANGING OUT IN 
HIS OFFICE AS THEIR PARENTS 
WORKED NEARBY.
HE LET US BE OURSELVES, 
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT CAME TO CIVIC
PARTICIPATION.
HE LET US ORGANIZE, PROTEST, 
TESTIFY AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS, 
ALWAYS VOTE.
WE TRIED TO ABSORB HIS ENERGY 
AND HIS LESSONS.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THREE STAFF 
SERVED HIM FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
RUTH BURKE, TIWARI BUTLER AND 
FIRST COUSIN MICHAEL COLLINS.
MAY YOU PLEASE STAND.
[ APPLAUSE ]
THERE'S A WHOLE GENERATION OF 
STAFF RIGHT BEHIND THEM AT 19, 
15, 17, 12, 14 YEARS.
RUTH RILEY, BRENDA JONES, 
ROCHELLE O'NEIL.
LINDA CHASETAIN.
ALTHOUGH SOME OF YOU AND SOME 
PEOPLE MOVED ON, YOU COULDN'T 
REALLY BECAUSE HIS SPIRIT WAS IN
YOU FOREVER.
HIS VOICE WAS ALWAYS IN OUR 
HEAD.
BE KIND, BE MINDFUL, BE 
PARTICULAR.
MAKE IT PLAIN.
MAKE IT SIMPLE.
MAKE IT SING.
WORKING FOR HIM WAS A LITTLE BIT
OF A NIGHTMARE SOMETIMES BECAUSE
NO MATTER HOW HARD WE WORKED, HE
ALWAYS WORKED HARDER.
EVERY SINGLE DAY HE WOKE UP AT 
THE CRACK OF DAWN, WATCHED THE 
NEWS AND READ THE NEWSPAPERS.
HIS MEMORY WAS LIKE A LIVING 
EVEN 
WHICH MEANS HE FORGOT NOTHING.
HE EXPECTED US TO BE INFORMED 
WITH FACTS FROM PRIMARY SOURCES,
NOT HEARSAY.
HE WOULD ASK WHAT CONSTITUENTS 
WERE CALLING AND WRITING ABOUT 
AND ADD THAT INFORMATION TO HIS 
ENDLESS ARCHIVES.
YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY OR THE 
SUBTLE WAY BECAUSE HE WAS NOT 
DIRECT.
WHEN HE ASKED YOU A QUESTION, HE
USUALLY KNEW THE ANSWER.
HE WANTED TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT 
YOU COULD REPRESENT HIM AND HIS 
CONSTITUENTS.
WHEN PREPARING FOR A BIG VOTE OR
A BIG SPEECH, HE WOULD DROP A 
SUBTLE HINT.
HAVE YOU READ THIS POEM, THIS 
SPEECH, A BOOK, SOME SCRIPTURE?
DO YOU REMEMBER THIS PAINTING?
THEN HE WOULD SAY LET'S COME 
BACK AND TALK ABOUT IT LATER ON.
THIS LITTLE HINT WOULD PREPARE 
YOU FOR THE AFTERMATH OF THOSE 
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS HE HAD WITH 
HIMSELF.
AFTER THOSE SESSIONS WE WOULD 
LEARN HOW AND IN WHICH DIRECTION
THE SPIRIT MOVED HIM.
THEN WE WOULD HAVE OUR MARCHING 
ORDERS.
HE WOULD TAKE THE ESSENCE OF A 
COMPLICATED POLICY AND MAKE IT 
ACCESSIBLE AND REAL TO THE 
PEOPLE.
THE CONGRESSMAN LOVED SERVING ON
THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.
HE ALWAYS SHOWED UP.
HE HATED TO MISS VOTES ON THE 
FLOOR.
LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN.
HE COULD NOT STAND TO MISS 
VOTES.
THE VOICE MESSAGES I HAVE FROM 
HIM ABOUT THE VOTES THAT HE WAS 
ABOUT TO MISS ARE STILL ON MY 
PHONE TO THIS DAY.
THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE SO
THANKFUL THAT CONGRESSMAN KILDE 
AND HIS STAFF WERE WILLING TO 
SERVE AND HELP US CAST THESE 
BALLOTS DURING THIS PANDEMIC AND
TO SERVE AS HIS PROXY.
THE CONGRESSMAN WOULD WALK THE 
HALLS, OR SIT IN COMMITTEE, OR 
SIT IN THE OFFICE AND HE LOVED 
THE BEAUTY OF THE HOUSE OF 
REPRE
REPRESEN
REPRESENTATIVES.
HE LOVED THE CLOSENESS TO THE 
PEOPLE AND THE COMPLICATED 
STATUS OF OUR NATION.
EVERY VISITOR OUR OFFICE 
RECEIVED A FULL DOSE OF SOUTHERN
HOSPITALITY, THE OFFER OF A 
GEORGIA COKE, SOME PEANUTS, A 
BRIEF TOUR OF HIS OFFICE AND 
SOME TIME ON OUR BELOVED BALCONY
WITH ITS STUNNING VIEW OF THE 
CAPITOL.
WHILE HE LOVED HIS COUNTRY, THE 
RECORD SHOULD BE CLEAR ON HIS 
IMMENSE PRIDE IN REPRESENTING 
GEORGIA'S FIFTH CONGRESSIONAL 
DISTRICT.
HE WAS SO PROUD TO REPRESENT 
METRO ATLANTA AND ALL OF ITS 
CITIES, ALL ITS COUNTIES AND ALL
ITS PEOPLE.
HE WAS ON A MISSION TO SERVE, TO
MAKE THEM FEEL HEARD, RESPECTED 
AND REPRESENTED REGARDLESS OF 
WHERE THEY FELL ON THE POLITICAL
SPECTRUM.
THE CONSTITUENTS WERE A COMPASS 
AND CONGRESSMAN LEWIS WORKED 
AROUND THE CLOCK TO FIND 
SOLUTIONS TO THEIR CHALLENGES.
WHEN IT CAME TO PUBLIC SERVICE 
AND PUBLIC POLICY, HIS NAME DID 
NOT NEED TO BE ON THE HEADLINES 
OR ON THE FRONTLINES.
IT WAS THE ACTION AND THE 
RESULTS THAT MATTERED.
NOT EVERY PROBLEM NEEDS A BILL.
HE COULD ALWAYS FIND COMPROMISE 
WITHOUT COMPROMISING HIS VALUES 
OR HIS PRINCIPLES WHEN THE 
CHALLENGE PRESENTED ITSELF.
HE PLAYED THE LONG GAME AND HE 
KNEW EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK AND
HE EXPECTED THE STAFF TO FIGHT 
IN A NONVIOLENT MANNER FOR THE 
PEOPLE.
WHEN CONSTITUENTS WERE CONCERNED
ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF SOVIET 
JEWELRY, HE TOOK ACTION.
WHEN FACED WITH EQUALITY IN 
HEALTH SERVICES HE ADVANCED 
CHANGES TO REDUCE THE COST FOR 
LIFE-SAVING CARE.
ESPECIALLY FOR THE ISSUES THAT 
AFFECTED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR 
LIKE KIDNEY DISEASE AND COPD.
WHEN WORKERS FACED PENSION 
ISSUES, HE FOUND WAYS TO GIVE 
THEM SECURITY.
WHEN FAMILIES WERE SEPARATED BY 
IMMIGRATION POLICIES, HE WORKED 
AROUND THE CLOCK TO REUNITE 
THEM.
WHEN PEOPLE COULDN'T GET THEIR 
SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS, HE 
FOUGHT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
WHEN TAX PAYERS WERE STRUCK AND 
STRUGGLED WITH AN OUTDATE 
BUREAUCRACY OF THE IRS HE WORKED
TO MODERNIZE THE ENTIRE AGENCY.
WHEN HE HEARD FROM FRUSTRATED 
VETERANS, HE FOUGHT FOR THEIR 
RESPECT, THEIR EARNED BENEFITS 
AND THEIR CARE.
WHEN HE SAW AN ALARMING INCREASE
IN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS, HE 
DEVELOPED STRATEGIES TO STOP THE
CYCLE BEFORE IT BEGAN.
WHEN SOME TRIED TO ELIMINATE THE
U.S. INSTITUTE OF PEACE, HE 
FOUND A WAY TO KEEP THAT 
BUILDING AND THE PROSPECT AND 
THE HOPE OF PEACE STILL ALIVE.
WHEN HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE 
STATE OF OUR GLOBE FOR 
GENERATIONS YET UNBORN, HE 
INTRODUCED THE ENVIRONMENTAL 
JUSTICE ACT.
WHEN LOOKING AT THE RIGHTS OF 
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AROUND 
THE WORLD, HE WORKED TO 
DIVERSIFY THE FACE OF OUR 
DIPLOMACY AND INSERT EMPATHY AND
STANDARDS TO OUR GLOBAL 
POLICIES.
WHEN PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT I 
AM MOVEABLE LINES TO VOTE HE 
CO-WROTE THE VOTERS ACT.
THE LIST IS TOO LONG TO 
RECOGNIZE HIS LEGISLATIVE 
POLICIES AND SUCCESS AND IMPACT 
HE HAS ON PEOPLE AROUND THE 
WORLD.
AS WE SIT IN THIS HISTORIC SPACE
AND AS YOU DRIVE-THROUGH METRO 
ATLANTA AND YOU FEEL THE 
GREATNESS OF HIS LEGACY, 
HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND CIVIC 
EDUCATION, I ASK THAT YOU HOLD 
THAT IN YOUR HEART AND YOUR SOUL
AND YOUR SPIRIT.
HE FELT THAT WE NEEDED TO KNOW 
AND STUDY OUR HISTORY TO MAKE 
SURE THAT WE NEVER REPEATED IT.
HE WAS BOTH HUMAN AND DIVINE.
IT'S SO DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN THE
MAGNITUDE, THE GENIUS, THE 
GENTLE GRACE OF THIS MAN.
I WOULD ASK AT THIS MOMENT FOR 
THE STAFF TO TAKE A STAND PLEASE
SO THAT YOU CAN SEE AND KNOW 
JUST A SAMPLE OF WHO WE ARE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
FORMER STAFF.
THANK YOU.
A FEW YEARS AGO WE HAD A 
REUNION.
WE REALIZED THERE AREN'T THAT 
MANY STAFF.
WE HAVE A LOT OF INTERNS AND 
FELLOWS, BUT THE CONGRESSMAN 
HELD US CLOSE.
I DON'T THINK THERE ARE MANY 
OFFICES WHERE YOU HAVE THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO HOLD YOUR BOSS' 
HAND AND ADJUST HIS TIE AND TELL
EVERY PERSON THAT YOU LOVED 
THEM.
HE CREATED THIS SPACE.
HE CREATED THIS FAMILY.
AS A STAFF, WE ARE HEART BROKEN.
WE ARE LOST.
WE KNOW THAT THE WORK CONTINUES,
THE FIGHT REMAINS.
WE CANNOT, WE MUST NOT GET LOST 
IN THE SEA OF DESPAIR.
SO, IF ASKED HOW YOU MAY HONOR 
THE CONGRESSMAN, I WILL ECHO THE
WORDS OF THE GREATS WHO STOOD 
HERE BEFORE.
YOU CAN MAKE SURE THAT HIS WORK,
HIS SACRIFICE, HIS MESSAGE LIVES
ON AND THAT THERE ARE ACTIONS 
THAT EVERY PERSON CAN DO 
REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE OR 
STATION IN LIFE.
BE KIND.
BE MINDFUL.
RECOGNIZE THE DIGNITY AND THE 
WORTH OF EVERY HUMAN BEING.
BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF.
BE INFORMED.
STAY ENGAGED.
EVEN THOUGH THE WORK IS HARD.
IF YOU ARE OF AGE AND ELIGIBLE, 
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE 
VOTE.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> LIFE AND LEGACY OF THE MAN 
SHE WORKED FOR SO CLOSELY.
HOW LOVELY TO BE REMEMBERED AS 
AN ICON, SOMEONE YOU IMAGINED, 
BUT BETTER.
NOW SHEILA LEWIS O'BRIEN, A 
NIECE OF CONGRESSMAN LEWIS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS SHEILA O'BRIEN.
I AM THE SIXTH NIECE OF 
CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS.
TO EACH DISTINGUISHED GUEST, 
MEMBER OF CLERGY, FAMILY AND 
FRIENDS, ON BEHALF OF THE LEWIS 
FAMILY WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY 
THANK YOU FROM THE VERY DEPTHS 
OF OUR HEARTS AT THE OUTCOME OF 
LOVE, SUPPORT, WORDS OF 
ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRAYER.
THE HONOR, THE RESPECT, THE 
COMRADERY THAT HAS BEEN BESTOWED
UPON THE LEWIS FAMILY WILL NEVER
BE FORGOTTEN.
WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A THANKS 
TO CHIEF OF STAFF, MICHAEL 
COLLINS, WHO HAS NOW BECOME 
FIRST COUSIN -- 
[ APPLAUSE ]
-- AND TO EACH STAFF MEMBER 
THAT'S WORKED TIRELESSLY WITH 
AND FOR CONGRESSMAN LEWIS, 
ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME.
WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH TO EXPRESS 
HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE FOR ALL THAT
YOU HAVE DONE, ESPECIALLY FOR 
OUR COUSIN JOHN MILES.
I'M HERE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO A MAN
THAT WAS LARGER THAN LIFE.
TO THE WORLD HE IS KNOWN AS THE 
HO
HONORABLE CONGRESSMAN LEWIS.
TO HIS FAMILY HE'S KNOWN AS 
ROBERT.
TO HIS NIECES AND NEPHEWS HE'S 
KNOWN AS UNCLE ROBERT.
UNCLE ROBERT LOVED HIS FAMILY.
WE LOVED HIM.
HE WAS A SON TO OUR GRANDPARENTS
EDDIE LEWIS WHO WE CALLED GRAND 
DADDY BUDDY AND WILLIE MAY LEWIS
WHO WE CALLED MA.
HE WAS THE HUSBAND TO AUNT 
LILLIAN, THE FATHER TO ONE SON, 
OUR COUSIN, JOHN MILES, AND THE 
BROTHER TO A LOT OF SIBLINGS.
TOO MANY TO NAME RIGHT NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE TIME.
WHILE WE KNEW HOW IMPORTANT HE 
AND HIS WORK WAS TO THE WORLD, 
WHEN WE WERE WITH HIM, WE SAW 
UNCLE ROBERT.
WE SAW THE MAN THAT ENJOYED 
SPENDING TIME WITH HIS FAMILY, 
REMINISCING ABOUT DAYS GONE BY, 
CATCHING UP ON FAMILY DYNAMICS, 
ENJOYING A GOOD MEAL, SHARING 
LAUGHTER AND LOVE.
WE, LIKE THE WORLD, KNEW THAT 
JOHN ROBERT LEWIS PERSONIFIED 
HOPE, COURAGE, BRAVERY AND SHEAR
HUMANITARIANISM.
AS WE ALL KNOW BEFORE HE WAS 
CHOSEN TO CONGRESS, YES, I SAY 
CHOSEN, THE WORD OF GOD TELLS ME
THAT MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW 
ARE CHOSEN.
HIS FIRST CALL WAS TO THAT OF 
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
FOR THE LAST 60 YEARS AS A 
NONVIOLENT CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST
HE WAS A VOICE FOR THOSE WHO 
COULDN'T SPEAK, THE FEET FOR 
THOSE WHO COULDN'T WALK AND THE 
CHAMPION OF INJUSTICE FOR THOSE 
THAT COULDN'T FIGHT.
HE ALONG WITH MANY OTHER CIVIL 
RIGHTS ICONS BECAME THE CHANGE 
AGENTS THAT THE WORLD SO 
DESPERATELY NEEDED.
AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, HE WAS 
KNOWN AS THE CONSCIOUS OF 
CONGRESS.
HE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED, REVERED 
AND HELD TO THE HIGHEST ESTEEM 
FOR THE WORK HE'S DONE.
HE BROKE BARRIERS.
HE TORE DOWN WALLS.
HE DEFIED STEREOTYPES AND 
REFUSED TO BE MOVED FROM HIS 
STANCE ON INJUSTICE, LIBERTY AND
FREEDOM.
HE MADE TIME FOR EVERYONE AND 
WAS ALWAYS PICTURE READY.
HE DID NOT MISS AN OPPORTUNITY 
FOR A PHOTO OP OR TO JUST TAKE A
FEW MOMENTS TO TALK TO HIS 
CONSTITUENTS OR TO THOSE THAT 
REVERED HIM.
HIS LOVE WAS CONTAGIOUS AND 
COULD BE FELT EACH TIME YOU WERE
IN HIS PRESENCE.
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS, 
LISTENING TO THE NUMEROUS 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, SOME OF WHICH 
HE LABORED FOR YEARS OVER, IT IS
EVIDENT WHY HIS LIFE IS BEING 
CELEBRATED AT THIS MAGNITUDE.
HE TRULY MADE AN IMPACT, NOT 
JUST ON AMERICA, BUT ON THE 
WORLD.
TODAY WE CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF 
CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS, OUR 
UNCLE ROBERT, THE MAN WHO 
LABORED, THE MAN WHO TAUGHT, THE
MAN WHO WALKED, FOUGHT, KNELT, 
SAT, HELD HANDS WITH BOTH BLACKS
AND WHITINGS, BLED, LIFTED HIS 
VOICE, BENT HIS KNEES AND WAS 
WILLING TO GIVE UP HIS LIFE FOR 
A RIGHTEOUS CAUSE.
LET'S CONTINUE THIS CELEBRATION 
OF LIFE BY TAKING UP THE BATON 
HE HAS NOW LAID DOWN AND 
ENDEAVORED TO GET INTO TROUBLE, 
GOOD TROUBLE, NECESSARY TROUBLE.
LET'S NOT GIVE UP.
LET'S NOT GIVE IN.
LET'S NEVER GIVE OUT.
LET'S KEEP THE FAITH, KEEP OUR 
EYES ON THE PRIZE.
REST IN POWER, UNCLE ROBERT.
MAY YOUR LEGACY LIVE ON AND 
NEVER DIE.
WE BELIEVE YOU HAVE HEARD THE 
WORDS FROM OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
WELL DOWN, MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL 
SERVANT.
I SAY TO ALL OF US, WEEPING MAY 
ENDURE FOR A NIGHT, BUT JOY 
COMES IN THE MORNING.
GUESS WHAT?
IT'S MORNING TIME.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> SHEILA LEWIS O'BRIEN.
WE WILL NOW HEAR AGAIN FROM 
JENNIFER HOLIDAY SINGING "TAKE 
MY HAND PRECIOUS LORD."
>> A FEW YEARS AGO CONGRESSMAN 
JOHN LEWIS ATTENDED THE 
INAUGURATION OF AN AMERICAN 
PRESIDENT.
ALTHOUGH HE HAD SEEN MANY 
PRESIDENTS, HE MADE A BEELINE TO
THIS PRESIDENT AND ASKED HIM TO 
SIGN HIS PROGRAM.
HE SIGNED THE PROGRAM IN THIS 
WAY, BECAUSE OF YOU, JOHN, IT'S 
MY ESTEEM HONOR TO WELCOME BACK 
TO THE EBENEZER PULPIT THE 44th 
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 
OF AMERICA, BARACK OBAMA.
BF
BEFORE HE COMES, JENNIFER 
HOLIDAY WILL COME ONCE AGAIN.
"TAKE MY HAND PRECIOUS LORD, 
LEAD ME ON."
♪
♪
♪ PRECIOUS LORD, TAKE MY HAND ♪
♪ LEAD ME ON, LET ME STAND ♪
♪ I AM TIRED ♪
♪ I AM WEAK ♪
♪ I AM WORN THROUGH THE STORM ♪
♪ THROUGH THE NIGHT LEAD ME ON 
TO THE LIGHT ♪
♪ TAKE MY HAND PRECIOUS LORD AND
LEAD ME ON HOME ♪
♪ WHEN MY WAY GROWS DREARY ♪
♪ PRECIOUS LORD LET ME NEAR ♪
♪ WHEN MY LIFE, WHEN MY LIFE 
MUST GO ON ♪
♪ HEAR MY CRY, OH, HEAR MY 
CALL ♪
♪ HOLD MY HAND, LORD, AND HEAR 
MY CALL ♪
♪ TAKE MY HAND, PRECIOUS LORD 
AND LEAD ME HOME ♪
♪ OH, WHEN THE DARKNESS APPEARS 
AND THE NIGHT DRAWS NEAR ♪
♪ AND THE DAY HAS PASSED AND 
GONE ♪
♪ OH, AT THE RIVER, HEY, AT THE 
RIVER I STAND ♪
♪ LORD, PLEASE TAKE MY HAND ♪
♪ TAKE MY HAND, PRECIOUS LORD, 
AND LEAD ME HOME ♪
♪ HEY, HEY, HEY ♪
♪ LORD, WE NEED YOU RIGHT NOW ♪
♪ WE NEED YOU RIGHT NOW ♪
♪ WE GOT A WORLD IN SORROW ♪
♪ WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO 
HAPPEN TOMORROW ♪
♪ TAKE MY HAND ♪
♪ HOLD MY HAND, LORD ♪
♪ WE DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY TO 
GO ♪
♪ OH YEAH ♪
♪ HOLD US, HOLD US IN YOUR, HOLD
US IN YOUR HAND ♪
♪ WE NEED YOU, LORD ♪
♪ STAY WITH ME, LORD ♪
♪ YES, WE DO ♪
♪ YES, WE DO ♪
♪ TAKE MY HAND, PRECIOUS LORD ♪
♪ AND LEAD, LORD, WE NEED YOU ♪
♪ LORD, WE NEED YOU RIGHT NOW ♪
♪ OH, YEAH ♪
♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> JENNIFER HOLIDAY.
THERE'S THE 44th PRESIDENT OF 
THE UNITED STATES, BARACK OBAMA.
HE'S ENTERING THE SANCTUARY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> JAMES WROTE TO THE BELIEVERS,
CONSIDERATE IT PURE JOY, MY 
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHENEVER 
YOU FACE TRIALS OF MANY KINDS 
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THE 
TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES 
PE
PESERVERENCE, SO YOU MAY MATURE 
AND COMPLETE, LACKING NOTHING.
IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO BE BACK 
AT EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH AT 
THE PULPIT OF ITS GREATEST 
PASTOR, DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, 
JR., TO PAY MY RESPECTS TO 
PERHAPS HIS FINEST DISCIPLE.
AN AMERICAN WHOSE FAITH WAS 
TESTED AGAIN AND AGAIN TO 
PRODUCE A MAN OF PURE JOY AND 
N
UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT, JOHN LEWIS.
TO THOSE WHO SPOKE, PRESIDENTS 
BUSH AND CLINTON, MADAM SPEAKER,
REVEREND WARNICK, REVEREND KING,
JOHN'S FAMILY, FRIENDS, HIS 
BELOVED STAFF, MAYOR BOTTOMS, 
I'VE COME HERE TODAY BECAUSE I, 
LIKE SO MANY AMERICANS, OWE A 
GREAT DEBT TO JOHN LEWIS AND HIS
FORCEFUL VISION OF FREEDOM.
THIS COUNTRY IS A CONSTANT WORK 
IN PROGRESS.
WE'RE BORN WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO 
FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION.
EXPLICIT IN THOSE WORDS IS THE 
IDEA THAT WE'RE IMPERFECT, THAT 
WHAT GIVES EACH NEW GENERATION 
PURPOSE IS TO TAKE UP THE 
UNFINISHED WORK OF THE LAST AND 
CARRY IT FURTHER THAN ANY MIGHT 
HAVE THOUGHT POSSIBLE.
JOHN LEWIS FIRST OF THE FREEDOM 
RIDERS, HEAD OF THE STUDENT 
NONVIOLENT COORDINATING 
COMMITTEE, YOUNGEST SPEAKER AT 
THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON, LEADER 
OF THE MARCH FROM SELMA TO 
MONTGOMERY, MEMBER OF CONGRESS 
REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE OF THIS 
STATE AND THIS DISTRICT FOR 33 
YEARS, MENTOR TO YOUNG PEOPLE, 
INCLUDING ME AT THE TIME, UNTIL 
HIS FINAL DAY ON THIS EARTH.
HE NOT ONLY EMBRACED THAT 
RESPONSIBILITY, BUT HE MADE IT 
HIS LIFE'S WORK.
WHICH ISN'T BAD FOR A BOY FROM 
TROY.
JOHN WAS BORN INTO MODEST MEANS.
THAT MEANS HE WAS POOR.
IN THE HEART OF THE JIM CROW 
SOUTH TO PARENTS WHO PICKED 
SOMEBODY ELSE'S COTTON.
APPARENTLY HE DIDN'T TAKE TO 
FARM WORK.
ON DAYS WHEN HE WAS SUPPOSED TO 
HELP HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS 
WITH THEIR LABOR, HE WOULD HIDE 
UNDER THE PORCH AND MAKE A BREAK
FOR THE SCHOOL BUS WHEN IT 
SHOWED UP.
HIS MOTHER WILLIE MAE LEWIS 
NURTURED THAT CURIOSITY IN THIS 
SHY, SERIOUS CHILD.
ONCE YOU LEARN SOMETHING, SHE 
TOLD HER SON, ONCE YOU GET 
SOMETHING INSIDE YOUR HEAD, NO 
ONE CAN TAKE IT AWAY FROM YOU.
AS A BOY, JOHN LISTENED THROUGH 
THE DOOR AFTER BEDTIME AS HIS 
FATHER'S FRIENDS COMPLAINED 
ABOUT THE CLAN.
ONE SUNDAY AS A TEENAGER HE 
HEARD DR. KING PREACH ON THE 
RADIO.
AS A COLLEGE STUDENT IN 
TENNESSEE, HE SIGNED UP FOR JIM 
LAWSON'S WORKSHOP ON THE TACTIC 
OF NONVIOLENT CIVIL 
DISOBEDIENCE.
JOHN LEWIS WAS GETTING SOMETHING
INSIDE HIS HEAD.
AN IDEA HE COULDN'T SHAKE.
TOOK HOLD OF HIM.
NONVIOLENT RESISTANCE AND CIVIL 
DISOBEDIENCE WERE THE MEANS TO 
CHANGE LAWS, BUT ALSO CHANGE 
HEARTS AND CHANGE MINDS AND 
CHANGE NATIONS AND CHANGE THE 
WORLD.
SO HE HELPED ORGANIZE THE 
NASHVILLE CAMPAIGN IN 1960.
HE AND OTHER YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN
SAT AT A SEGREGATED LUNCH 
COUNTER.
WELL-DRESSED, STRAIGHT BACK, 
REFUSING TO LET A MILKSHAKE 
POURED ON THEIR HEADS OR A 
CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHED ON THEIR 
BACKS, OR A FOOT AIMED AT THEIR 
RIBS, REFUSED TO LET THAT DENT 
THEIR DIGNITY AND THEIR SENSE OF
PURPOSE.
AFTER A FEW MONTHS, THE 
NASHVILLE CAMPAIGN ACHIEVED THE 
FIRST SUCCESSFUL DESEGREGATION 
OF PUBLIC FACILITIES IN ANY 
MAJOR CITY IN THE SOUTH.
JOHN GOT A TASTE OF JAIL FOR THE
FIRST, SECOND, THIRD -- WELL, 
SEVERAL TIMES.
BUT HE ALSO GOT A TASTE OF 
VICTORY AND IT CONSUMED HIM WITH
RIGHTEOUS PURPOSE.
HE TOOK THE BATTLE DEEPER INTO 
THE SOUTH.
THAT SAME YEAR, JUST WEEKS AFTER
THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT 
SEGREGATION OF INTERSTATE BUS 
FACILITIES WAS UNCONSTITUTION, 
JO
JOHN AND BERNARD LAFAYETTE 
BOUGHT TWO TICKETS, CLIMBED 
ABOARD A GREYHOUND AND REFUSED 
TO MOVE.
THIS WAS MONTHS BEFORE THE FIRST
OFFICIAL FREEDOM RIDES.
HE WAS DOING A TEST.
TRIP WAS UNSANCTIONED.
FEW KNEW WHAT THEY WERE UP TO.
AT EVERY STOP THROUGH THE NIGHT,
APPARENTLY THE ANGRY DRIVER 
STORMED OUT OF THE BUS AND INTO 
THE BUS STATION AND JOHN AND 
BERNARD HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE 
MIGHT COME BACK WITH OR WHO HE 
MIGHT COME BACK WITH.
NOBODY WAS THERE TO PROTECT 
THEM.
THERE WERE NO CAMERA CREWS TO 
RECORD EVENTS.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, REV, WE 
READ ABOUT THIS AND WE KIND OF 
TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, OR AT LEAST
WE ACT AS IF IT WAS INEVITABLE.
IMAGINE THE COURAGE OF TWO 
PEOPLE MALIA'S AGE, YOUNGER THAN
MY OLDEST DAUGHTER, ON THEIR OWN
TO CHALLENGE AN ENTIRE 
INFRASTRUCTURE OF OPPRESSION.
JOHN WAS ONLY 20 YEARS OLD, BUT 
HE PUSHED ALL 20 OF THOSE YEARS 
TO THE CENTER OF THE TABLE.
BETTING EVERYTHING, ALL OF IT, 
THAT HIS EXAMPLE COULD CHALLENGE
CENTURIES OF CONVENTION AND 
GENERATIONS OF BRUTAL VIOLENCE 
AND COUNTLESS DAILY INDIGNITIES 
SUFFERED BY AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
LIKE JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARING 
THE WAY, LIKE THOSE OLD 
TESTAMENTS PROPHETS SPEAKING 
TRUTH TO KINGS, JOHN LEWIS DID 
NOT HESITATE AND HE KEPT ON 
GETTING ON BOARD BUSES AND 
SITTING AT LUNCH COUNTERS.
GOT HIS MUGSHOT TAKEN AGAIN AND 
AGAIN.
MARCHED AGAIN AND AGAIN ON A 
MISSION TO CHANGE AMERICA.
SPOKE TO A QUARTER MILLION 
PEOPLE AT A MARCH ON WASHINGTON 
WHEN HE WAS JUST 23.
HELPED ORGANIZE THE FREEDOM 
SUMMER IN MISSISSIPPI WHEN HE 
WAS JUST 24.
AT THE RIPE OLD AGE OF 25, JOHN 
WAS ASKED TO LEAD THE MARCH FROM
SELMA TO MONTGOMERY.
HE WAS WARNED THAT GOVERNOR 
WALLACE ORDERED TROOPERS TO USE 
VIOLENCE.
BUT HE AND JOSE WILLIAMS AND 
OTHERS LED THEM ACROSS THAT 
BRIDGE ANYWAY.
WE'VE ALL SEEN THE FILM AND THE 
FOOTAGE AND THE PHOTOGRAPHS.
PRESIDENT CLINTON MENTIONED THE 
TRENCH COAT, THE NAP SACK, THE 
BOOK TO READ, THE APPLE TO EAT, 
THE TOOTH BRUSH.
APPARENTLY JAILS WEREN'T BIG ON 
SUCH CREATURE COMFORTS.
YOU LOOK AT THOSE PICTURES AND 
JOHN LOOKS SO YOUNG.
HE'S SMALL IN STATURE.
LOOKING EVERY BIT THAT SHY, 
SERIOUS CHILD THAT HIS MOTHER 
RAISED.
YET, HE'S FULL OF PURPOSE.
GOD PUT PESEVARANCE IN HIM.
WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE 
MARCHERS THAT DAY.
THEIR BONES WERE CRACKED BY 
BILLY CLUBS.
THEIR EYES AND LUNGS CHOKED WITH
TEAR GAS.
THEY KNELT TO PRAY, WHICH MADE 
THEIR HEADS EASIER TARGETS.
JOHN WAS STRUCK IN THE SKULL.
HE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO DIE.
SURROUNDED BY THE SIGHT OF YOUNG
AMERICANS GAGGING AND BLEEDING 
AND TRAMPLED, VICTIMS IN THEIR 
OWN COUNTRY OF STATE-SPONSORED 
VIOLENCE.
THE THING IS I IMAGINE INITIALLY
THAT DAY THE TROOPERS THOUGHT 
THEY WON THE BATTLE.
YOU CAN IMAGINE THE 
CONVERSATIONS THEY HAD 
AFTERWARDS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
YOU CAN IMAGINE THEM SAYING, 
YEAH, WE SHOWED THEM.
THEY FIGURED THEY TURNED THE 
PROTESTERS BACK OVER THE BRIDGE,
THAT THEY KEPT, THAT THEY 
PRESERVED A SYSTEM THAT DENIED 
THE BASIC HUMANITY OF THEIR 
FELLOW CITIZENS.
EXCEPT THIS TIME THERE WERE SOME
CAMERAS THERE.
THIS TIME THE WORLD SAW WHAT 
HAPPENED, BORE WITNESS TO BLACK 
AMERICANS WHO WERE ASKING FOR 
NOTHING MORE THAN TO BE TREATED 
LIKE OTHER AMERICANS.
THEY WERE NOT ASKING FOR SPECIAL
TREATMENT, JUST EQUAL TREATMENT,
PROMISED TO THEM A CENTURY 
BEFORE AND ALMOST ANOTHER 
CENTURY BEFORE THAT.
WHEN JOHN WOKE UP AND CHECKED 
HIMSELF OUT OF THE HOSPITAL, HE 
WOULD MAKE SURE THE WORLD SAW A 
MOVEMENT THAT WAS, IN THE WORDS 
OF SCRIPTURE, HARD-PRESSED ON 
EVERY SIDE, BUT NOT CRUSHED.
PERPLEXED, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR.
PERSECUTED, BUT IN THE 
ABANDONED.
STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED.
[ APPLAUSE ]
HE RETIRED TO BROWN CHAPEL, A 
BATTERED PROPHET, BANDAGES 
AROUND HIS HEAD.
HE SAID MORE MARCHERS WILL COME 
NOW, AND THE PEOPLE CAME, AND 
THE TROOPERS PARTED, AND THE 
MARCHERS REACHED MONTGOMERY.
THEIR WORDS REACHED THE WHITE 
HOUSE.
LYNDON JOHNSON, SON OF THE 
SOUTH, SAID WE SHALL OVERCOME, 
AND THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT WAS 
SIGNED INTO LAW.
THE LIFE OF JOHN LEWIS WAS IN SO
MANY WAYS EXCEPTIONAL.
IT VINDICATED THE FAITH IN OUR 
FOUNDING, REDEEMED THAT FAITH.
THE MOST AMERICAN OF IDEAS, THE 
IDEA THAT ANY OF US, ORDINARY 
PEOPLE WITHOUT RANK OR WEALTH OR
TITLE OR FAME, CAN SOMEHOW POINT
OUT THE IMPERFECTIONS OF THIS 
NATION AND COME TOGETHER AND 
CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO, DECIDE
THAT IT IS IN OUR POWER TO 
REMAKE THIS COUNTRY THAT WE LOVE
UNTIL IT MORE CLOSELY ALIGNS 
WITH OUR HIGHEST IDEALS.
WHAT A RADICAL IDEA.
WHAT A REVOLUTIONARY NOTION.
THE IDEA THAT ANY OF US, 
ORDINARY PEOPLE, A YOUNG KID 
FROM TROY CAN STAND UP TO THE 
POWERS AND PRINCIPLES AND SAY 
NO, THIS ISN'T RIGHT, THIS ISN'T
TRUE, THIS ISN'T TRUE.
WE CAN DO BETTER.
ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF JUSTICE 
AMERICANS LIKE JOHN, AMERICANS 
LIKE REVERENDS LOWERY AND C.T. 
VIVIAN, TWO OTHER PATRIOTS WE 
LOST THIS YEAR, LIBERATED ALL OF
US, THE MANY AMERICANS CAME TO 
TAKE FOR GRANTED.
AMERICA WAS BUILT BY PEOPLE LIKE
THEM.
AMERICA WAS BUILT BY JOHN 
LEWISES.
[ APPLAUSE ]
HE, AS MUCH AS ANYONE IN OUR 
HISTORY, BROUGHT THIS COUNTRY A 
LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO OUR HIGHEST
IDEALS.
AND SOME DAY, WHEN WE DO FINISH 
THAT LONG JOURNEY TOWARDS 
FREEDOM, WHEN WE DO FORM A MORE 
PERFECT UNION, WHETHER IT'S 
YEARS FROM NOW OR DECADES OR 
EVEN IF IT TAKES ANOTHER TWO 
CENTURIES, JOHN LEWIS WILL BE A 
FOUNDING FATHER OF THAT FULLER, 
FAIRER, BETTER AMERICA.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND, YET AS EXCEPTIONAL AS JOHN 
WAS, HERE'S THE THING, JOHN 
NEVER BELIEVED THAT WHAT HE DID 
WAS MORE THAN ANY CITIZEN OF 
THIS COUNTRY CAN DO.
I MENTIONED IN THE STATEMENT THE
DAY JOHN PASSED, THING ABOUT 
JOHN WAS HOW GENTLE AND HUMBLE 
HE WAS.
AND, DESPITE THIS STORIED, 
REMARKABLE CAREER, HE TREATED 
EVERYONE WITH KINDNESS AND 
RESPECT BECAUSE IT WAS INNATE TO
HIM, THIS IDEA THAT ANY OF US 
CAN DO
IF WE'RE WILLING TO PERSEVERE.
HE BELIEVED THAT IN ALL OF US 
THERE EXISTS THE CAPACITY FOR 
GREAT COURAGE.
THAT IN ALL OF US THERE'S A 
LONGING TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT, THAT
IN ALL OF US, THERE'S A 
WILLINGNESS TO LOVE ALL PEOPLE 
AND EXTEND TO THEM THEIR GOD 
GIVEN RIGHTS TO DIGNITY AND 
RESPECT.
SO MANY OF US LOSE THAT SENSE.
IT'S TAUGHT OUT OF US.
WE START FEELING AS IF, IN FACT,
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO EXTEND 
KINDNESS OR DECENCY TO OTHER 
PEOPLE, THAT WE'RE BETTER OFF IF
WE'RE ABOVE OTHER PEOPLE AND 
LOOKING DOWN ON THEM AND SO 
OFTEN THAT'S ENCOURAGED IN OUR 
CULTURE, BUT JOHN ALWAYS SAID --
HE ALWAYS SAW THE BEST IN US, 
AND HE NEVER GAVE UP AND NEVER 
STOPPED SPEAKING OUT BECAUSE HE 
SAW THE BEST IN US.
HE BELIEVED IN US EVEN WHEN WE 
DIDN'T BELIEVE IN OURSELVES.
AND AS A CONGRESSMAN HE DIDN'T 
REST.
HE KEPT GETTING HIMSELF 
ARRESTED.
AS AN OLD MAN, HE DIDN'T SIT OUT
ANY FIGHT, SAT IN ALL NIGHT LONG
ON THE FLOOR OF THE UNITED 
STATES CAPITOL.
I KNOW HIS STAFF WAS STRESSED.
[ LAUGHTER ]
BUT THE TESTING OF HIS FAITH 
PRODUCED PERSEVERANCE.
HE KNEW THAT THE MARCH IS NOT 
OVER, THAT THE RACE IS NOT YET 
WON, THAT WE HAVE NOT YET 
REACHED THAT BLESSED DESTINATION
WHERE WE ARE JUDGED BY THE 
CONTENT OF OUR CHARACTER.
HE KNEW FROM HIS OWN LIFE THE 
PROGRESS IS FRAGILE, THAT WE 
HAVE TO BE VIGILANT AGAINST THE 
DARKER CURRENTS OF THIS 
COUNTRY'S HISTORY, OF OUR OWN 
HISTORY WITH THE WHIRLPOOLS OF 
VIOLENCE AND DESPAIR 
THAT CAN ALWAYS RISE AGAIN.
BULL CONNER MAY BE GONE BUT 
TODAY WE WITNESS WITH OUR OWN 
EYES POLICE OFFICERS KNEELING ON
THE NECKS OF BLACK AMERICANS.
GEORGE WALLACE MAY BE GONE, BUT 
WE CAN WITNESS OUR FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT SENDING AGENTS TO USE
TEAR GAS AND BATONS AGAINST 
PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WE MAY NO LONGER HAVE TO GUESS 
THE NUMBER OF JELLY BEANS IN A 
JAR IN ORDER TO CAST A BALLOT, 
BUT EVEN AS WE SIT HERE THERE 
ARE THOSE IN POWER WHO ARE DOING
THEIR DARNEDEST TO DISCOURAGE 
PEOPLE FROM VOTING BY CLOSING 
POLLING LOCATIONS AND TARGETING 
MINORITIES AND STUDENTS WITH 
RESTRICTED I.D. LAWS AND 
ATTACKING OUR VOTING RIGHTS WITH
SURGICAL PRECISION EVEN 
UNDERMINING THE POSTAL SERVICE 
IN THE RUN-UP TO AN ELECTION 
THAT'S GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON 
MAIL-IN BALLOTS SO PEOPLE DON'T 
GET SICK.
I KNOW THIS IS A CELEBRATION OF 
JOHN'S LIFE.
THERE ARE SOME WHO MIGHT SAY WE 
SHOULDN'T DWELL ON SUCH THINGS, 
BUT THAT'S WHY I'M TALKING ABOUT
IT.
JOHN LEWIS DEVOTED HIS TIME ON 
THIS EARTH FIGHTING THE VERY 
ATTACKS ON DEMOCRACY AND WHAT'S 
BEST IN AMERICA THAT WE'RE 
SEEING CIRCULATE RIGHT NOW.
HE KNEW THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF
US HAS A GOD GIVEN POWER AND 
THAT THE FAITH OF THIS DEMOCRACY
DEPENDS ON HOW WE USE IT THAT, 
DEMOCRACY ISN'T AUTOMATIC.
IT HAS TO BE NURTURED, IT HAS TO
BE TENDED TO.
WE HAVE TO WORK AT IT.
IT'S HARD.
AND SO HE KNEW THAT IT DEPENDS 
ON WHETHER WE SUMMON A MEASURE, 
JUST A MEASURE OF JOHN'S MORAL 
COURAGE TO QUESTION WHAT'S RIGHT
AND WHAT'S WRONG.
AND CALL THINGS AS THEY ARE.
HE SAID THAT AS LONG AS HE HAD A
BREATH IN HIS BODY HE WOULD DO 
EVERYTHING HE COULD TO PRESERVE 
THIS DEMOCRACY AND AS LONG AS WE
HAVE BREATH IN OUR BODIES, WE 
HAVE TO CONTINUE HIS CAUSE.
IF WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO GROW 
UP IN A DEMOCRACY, NOT JUST WITH
ELECTIONS BUT A TRUE DEMOCRACY, 
A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY AND A
BIG-HEARTED, TOLERANT, VIBRANT, 
INCLUSIVE AMERICA OF PERPETUAL 
SELF-CREATION, THEN WE'RE GOING 
TO HAVE TO BE MORE LIKE JOHN.
WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ALL THE 
THINGS HE HAD TO DO BECAUSE HE 
DID THEM FOR US, BUT WE GOT TO 
DO SOMETHING.
AS THE LORD INSTRUCTED PAUL, DO 
NOT BE AFRAID, GO ON SPEAKING, 
DO NOT BE SILENT FOR I AM WITH 
YOU AND NO ONE WILL ATTACK YOU 
TO HARM YOU FOR I HAVE MANY IN 
THIS CITY WHO ARE MY PEOPLE.
IT'S JUST EVERYBODY'S GOT TO 
COME OUT AND VOTE.
WE GOT ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN THE 
CITY, BUT THEY CAN'T DO NOTHING.
LIKE JOHN WE'VE GOT TO KEEP 
GETTING INTO THAT GOOD TROUBLE.
HE KNEW THAT NONVIOLENT PROTESTS
IS PATRIOTIC, A WAY TO RAISE 
PUBLIC AWARENESS AND PUT A 
SPOTLIGHT ON INJUSTICE AND MAKE 
THE POWERS THAT BE U
UNCOMFORTABLE, LIKE JOHN, WE 
DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN 
PROTESTS AND POLITICS.
IT'S NOT AN EITHER/OR SITUATION,
IT'S A BOTH AND SITUATION.
WE HAVE TO ENGAGE IN PROTESTS 
WHERE THAT'S EFFECTIVE BUT WE 
ALSO HAVE TO TRANSLATE OUR 
PASSION AND OUR CAUSES INTO LA
LAWS, INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES.
THAT'S WHY JOHN RAN FOR CONGRESS
34 YEARS AGO.
LIKE JOHN WE'VE GOT TO FIGHT 
EVEN HARDER FOR THE MOST 
POWERFUL TOOL THAT WE HAVE, 
WHICH IS THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS ONE OF 
THE CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR
DEMOCRACY.
IT'S WHY JOHN CROSSED THAT 
BRIDGE.
IT'S WHY HE SPILLED HIS BLOOD 
AND BY THE WAY, IT WAS THE 
RESULT OF DEMOCRATIC AND 
REPUBLICAN EFFORTS.
PRESIDENT BUSH, WHO SPOKE HERE 
EARLIER, AND HIS FATHER SIGNED 
ITS RENEWAL WHEN THEY WERE IN 
OFFICE.
PRESIDENT CLINTON DIDN'T HAVE TO
BECAUSE IT WAS THE LAW WHEN HE 
ARRIVED, SO INSTEAD HE MADE A 
LAW TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE
TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
BUT ONCE THE SUPREME COURT 
WEAKENED THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, 
SOME STATE LEGISLATORS UNLEASHED
A FLOOD OF LAWS DESIGNED 
SPECIFICALLY TO MAKE VOTING 
HARDER, ESPECIALLY BY THE WAY 
STATE LEGISLATORS WHERE THERE IS
A LOT OF MINORITY TURNOUT AND 
POPULATION GROWTH.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A MYSTERY
OR AN ACCIDENT.
IT WAS AN ATTACK ON WHAT JOHN 
FOUGHT FOR, IT WAS AN ATTACK ON 
OUR DEMOCRATIC FREEDOMS AND WE 
SHOULD TREAT IT AS SUCH.
IF POLITICIANS WANT TO HONOR 
JOHN AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE
LEGACY AND WORK OF ALL THE 
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS WHO ARE 
HERE, BUT THERE'S A BETTER WAY 
THAN A STATEMENT CALLING HIM A 
HERO.
YOU WANT TO HONOR JOHN, LET'S 
HONOR HIM BY REVITALIZING THE 
LAW THAT HE WAS WILLING TO DIE 
FOR.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND, BY THE WAY, NAMING IT THE 
JOHN LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ACT, 
THAT IS A FINE TRIBUTE, BUT JOHN
WOULDN'T WANT US TO STOP THERE, 
JUST TRYING TO GET BACK TO WHERE
WE ALREADY WERE.
ONCE WE PASS THE JOHN LEWIS 
VOTING RIGHTS ACT, WE SHOULD 
KEEP MARCHING TO MAKE IT EVEN 
BETTER.
[ APPLAUSE ]
BY MAKING SURE EVERY AMERICAN IS
AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERED TO VOTE
INCLUDING FORMER INMATES WHO 
HAVE EARNED THEIR SECOND CHANCE.
BY ADDING POLLING PLACES AND 
EXPANDING EARLY VOTING AND 
MAKING ELECTION DAY A NATIONAL 
HOLIDAY SO IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY 
WHO IS WORKING IN A FACTORY OR 
YOU'RE A SINGLE MOM WHO'S GOT TO
GO TO HER JOB AND DOESN'T GET 
TIME OFF, YOU CAN STILL CAST 
YOUR BALLOT.
BY GUARANTEEING THAT EVERY 
AMERICAN CITIZEN HAS EQUAL 
REPRESENTATION IN OUR GOVERNMENT
INCLUDING THE AMERICAN CITIZENS 
WHO LIVE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND
IN PUERTO RICO, THEY'RE 
AMERICANS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
BY ENDING SOME OF THE PARTISAN 
GERRYMANDERING SO THAT ALL 
VOTERS HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE 
THEIR POLITICIANS, NOT THE OTHER
WAY AROUND AND IF ALL THIS TAKES
ELIMINATING THE FILIBUSTER, 
ANOTHER JIM CROW RELIC IN ORDER 
TO SECURE THE GOD GIVEN RIGHTS 
OF EVERY AMERICAN, THEN THAT'S 
WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NOW, EVEN IF WE DO ALL THIS, 
EVEN IF EVERY BOGUS VOTER 
SUPPRESSION LAW IS STRUCK OFF 
THE BOOKS TODAY, WE GOT TO BE 
HONEST WITH OURSELVES THAT TOO 
MANY OF US CHOOSE NOT TO 
EXERCISE THE FRANCHISE.
TOO MANY OF OUR CITIZENS BELIEVE
THEIR VOTE WON'T MAKE A 
DIFFERENCE OR THEY BUY INTO THE 
CYNICISM THAT BY THE WAY IS THE 
CENTRAL STRATEGY OF VOTING 
SUPPRESSION TO MAKE YOU 
DISCOURAGED TO STOP BELIEVING IN
YOUR OWN POWER.
SO WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE TO 
REMEMBER WHAT JOHN SAID, IF YOU 
DON'T DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN DO 
TO CHANGE THINGS, THEN THEY WILL
REMAIN THE SAME.
YOU ONLY PASS THIS WAY ONCE.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT ALL YOU 
HAVE.
AS LONG AS YOUNG PEOPLE ARE 
PROTESTING IN THE STREETS, 
HOPING REAL CHANGE TAKES HOLD, 
I'M HOPEFUL, BUT WE CAN'T 
CASUALLY ABANDON THEM AT THE 
BALLOT BOX.
NOT WHEN FEW ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN
AS URGENT ON SO MANY LEVELS AS 
THIS ONE.
WE CAN'T TREAT VOTING AS AN 
ERRAND TO RUN IF WE HAVE SOME 
TIME.
WE HAVE TO TREAT IT AS THE MOST 
IMPORTANT ACTION WE CAN TAKE.
ON BEHALF OF DEMOCRACY AND LIKE 
JOHN, WE HAVE TO GIVE IT ALL WE 
HAVE.
I WAS PROUD THAT JOHN LEWIS WAS 
A FRIEND OF MINE.
I MET HIM WHEN I WAS IN LAW 
SCHOOL.
HE CAME TO SPEAK.
AND I WENT UP AND I SAID, 
MR. LEWIS, YOU ARE ONE OF MY 
HER
HEROES.
WHAT INSPIRED ME MORE THAN 
ANYTHING AS A YOUNG MAN WAS TO 
SEE WHAT YOU AND REVEREND 
LAWSON, BOB MOSES, DIANE NASH 
AND OTHERS DID AND HE GOT THAT 
KIND OF AW SHUCKS, THANK YOU 
VERY MUCH.
[ LAUGHTER ]
NEXT TIME I SAW HIM, I HAD BEEN 
ELECTED TO THE UNITED STATES 
SENATE AND I TOLD HIM, JOHN, I'M
HERE BECAUSE OF YOU.
AND ON INAUGURATION DAY IN 
2008/2009, HE WAS ONE OF THE 
FIRST PEOPLE I GREETED AND 
HUGGED ON THAT STAND AND I TOLD 
HIM, THIS IS YOUR DAY TOO.
HE WAS A GOOD AND KIND AND 
GENTLE MAN AND HE BELIEVED IN 
US.
EVEN WHEN WE DON'T BELIEVE IN 
OURSELVES.
AND IT'S FITTING THAT THE LAST 
TIME JOHN AND I SHARED A PUBLIC 
FORUM WAS ON ZOOM AND I'M PRETTY
SURE NEITHER HE NOR I SET UP THE
ZOOM CALL BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW
HOW TO WORK IT.
IT WAS A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL WITH 
A GATHERING OF YOUNG ACTIVISTS 
WHO HAD BEEN HELPING TO LEAD 
THIS SUMMER'S DEMONSTRATIONS IN 
THE WAKE OF GEORGE FLOYD'S 
DEATH.
AND AFTERWARDS I SPOKE TO JOHN 
PRIVATELY AND HE COULD NOT HAVE 
BEEN PROUDER TO SEE THIS NEW 
GENERATION OF ACTIVISTS STANDING
UP FOR FREEDOM AND EQUALITY, A 
NEW GENERATION THAT WAS INTENT 
ON VOTING AND PROTECTING THE 
RIGHT TO VOTE.
IN SOME CASES A NEW GENERATION 
RUNNING FOR POLITICAL OFFICE, 
AND I TOLD HIM ALL THOSE YOUNG 
PEOPLE, JOHN, OF EVERY RACE AND 
EVERY RELIGION FROM EVERY 
BACKGROUND AND GENDER AND SEXUAL
ORIENTATION, JOHN, THOSE ARE 
YOUR CHILDREN.
THEY LEARNED FROM YOUR EXAMPLE.
EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T ALWAYS KNOW 
IT.
THEY'D UNDERSTOOD THROUGH HIM 
WHAT AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP 
REQUIRES EVEN IF THEY HAD ONLY 
HEARD ABOUT HIS COURAGE THROUGH 
THE HISTORY BOOKS.
BY THE THOUSANDS FACELESS 
ANONYMOUS RELENTLESS YOUNG 
PEOPLE, BLACK AND WHITE HAVE 
TAKEN OUR WHOLE NATION BACK TO 
THOSE GREAT WELLS OF DEMOCRACY 
WHICH WERE DUG DEEP BY THE 
FOUNDING FATHERS IN THE 
FORMULATION OF THE CONSTITUTION 
AND THE DECLARATION OF 
INDEPENDENCE.
DR. KING SAID THAT IN THE 1960s 
AND IT CAME TRUE AGAIN THIS 
SUMMER.
WE SEE IT OUTSIDE OUR WINDOWS IN
BIG CITIES AND RURAL TOWNS IN 
MEN AND WOMEN, YOUNG AND OLD, 
STRAIGHT AMERICANS AND LGBTQ 
AMERICANS, BLACKS WHO LONG FOR 
EQUAL TREATMENT AND WHITES WHO 
CAN NO LONGER ACCEPT FREEDOM FOR
THEMSELVES WHILE WITNESSING THE 
SUB JRUE SITUATION OF THEIR 
FELLOW AMERICANS.
[ APPLAUSE ]JUGATION OF THEIR F 
AMERICANS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WE SEE IT IN EVERYBODY DOING THE
HARD WORK OF OVERCOMING 
COMPLACENCY, OF OVERCOMING OUR 
OWN FEARS AND OUR OWN 
PREJUDICES, OUR OWN HATREDS, YOU
SEE IT IN PEOPLE TRYING TO BE 
BETTER, TRUER VERSIONS OF 
OURSELVES.
AND THAT'S WHAT JOHN LEWIS 
TEACHES US.
THAT'S WHERE REAL COURAGE COMES 
FROM, NOT FROM TURNING ON EACH 
OTHER, BUT BY TURNING TOWARDS 
ONE ANOTHER.
NOT BY SOWING HATRED AND 
DIVISION, BUT BY SPREADING LOVE 
AND TRUTH, NOT BY AVOIDING OUR 
RESPONSIBILITIES TO CREATE A 
BETTER AMERICA AND A BETTER 
WORLD, BUT BY EMBRACING THOSE 
RESPONSIBILITIES WITH JOY AND 
PERSEVERANCE AND DISCOVERING 
THAT IN OUR BELOVED COMMUNITY, 
WE DO NOT WALK ALONE.
WHAT A GIFT JOHN LEWIS WAS.
WE ARE ALL SO LUCKY TO HAVE HAD 
HIM WALK WITH US FOR AWHILE AND 
SHOW US THE WAY.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
GOD BLESS AMERICA.
GOD BLESS THIS GENTLE SOUL WHO 
PULLED US CLOSER TO HIS PROMISE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF 
THE UNITED STATES, NUMBER 44.
HIS FRIEND AND MENTOR, JOHN 
LEWIS, THE MAN MARTIN LUTHER 
KING CALLED HIS DISCIPLE.
NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM B.B. AND 
MARVIN WINANS.
AN ORIGINAL SONG THEY 
COMMISSIONED IN HONOR OF THE 
CONGRESSMAN.
♪
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE ARE HONORED TO BE HERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK BROTHER 
MICHAEL COLLINS FOR ABOUT A WEEK
BEFORE THE CONGRESSMAN PASSED, 
HE CALLED B.B. AND SO B.B. AND I
AND MY SISTER CECE HAD 
OPPORTUNITY TO SING TO HIM AND 
ONE OF THE SONGS WE SANG SONGS 
DIFFERENTLY BUT THE ONE SONG I'D
LIKE FOR EVERYONE THAT WHO WOULD
JUST JOIN IN.
♪ WE SHALL OVERCOME ♪
♪ WE SHALL OVERCOME ♪
♪ WE SHALL OVERCOME SOMEDAY ♪
♪ OH DEEP IN MY HEART 
I DO BELIEVE ♪
♪ WE SHALL OVERCOME SOMEDAY ♪
>> UPON HEARING THAT I HEARD HE 
OPENED HIS EYES BECAUSE THAT WAS
THE SONG THAT LED AND WAS THE 
HEART OF THOSE MARCHES.
HAS WRITTEN ANOTHER SONG AS THE 
MEMORY OF UNCLE ROBERT AS YOU'D 
CALL HIM BECAUSE HE TREATED US 
ALL LIKE FAMILY.
AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.
♪ BORN IN ALABAMA BORN IN TROY, 
ALABAMA ♪
♪ TO WILL WILL MAY SHARECROPPERS
WORKING IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY ♪
♪ HE KNEW THERE WAS MUCH MORE SO
HE ASKED THE LORD TO SHOW ♪
♪ YES, HE DID ♪
♪ ALL HE ACHIEVED IN HIS LIFE WE
ALREADY KNOW ♪
♪ HE WAS THERE IN A HURRY TOLD 
YOU THE TRUTH DON'T YOU WORRY ♪
♪ HE WAS WILLING TO FIGHT IN THE
STRUGGLE ♪
♪ AND HE WAS WILLING TO GET IN 
GOOD TROUBLE ♪
♪ YES, HE WAS, OH, YES, HE WAS ♪
♪ HE WAS WILLING TO GET IN GOOD 
TROUBLE ♪
♪ HE TOOK ON THE WRONG OF THIS 
WORLD LIKE CIVIL VOTING RIGHTS ♪
♪ NO MATTER THE PROBLEMS HE 
FACED HE KEPT HIS EYES ON THE 
PRIZE ♪
♪ AND THEN HE LEARNED TO WALK 
AND BELIEVE GOD UNTIL THE END ♪
♪ YES, HE DID ♪
♪ AND KNEW HE WOULD OVERCOME 
THAT AND LOVE IS GONE WITH HIM ♪
♪ HE WAS THERE WHEN YOU CALLED 
DON'T YOU WORRY HE'D TELL THE 
TRUTH IN A HURRY ♪
♪ HE WAS WILLING TO FIGHT FOR 
THE STRUGGLE AND WILLING TO GET 
IN GOOD TROUBLE ♪
♪ YES, HE WAS 
OH, YES, HE WAS ♪
♪ WILLING TO GET IN GOOD 
TROUBLE ♪
♪ AND AS YOU PUT ON YOUR ROBE TO
GO HOME WE WILL CONTINUE THE 
FIGHT AND BE STRONG ♪
♪
♪ WE'LL CONTINUE TO FIGHT 
CONTINUE TO FIGHT ♪
♪ HE WAS THERE WHEN YOU CALLED 
ON HIM IN A HURRY ♪
♪ HE'D TELL YOU THE TRUTH DON'T 
YOU WORRY ♪
♪ HE WAS WILLING TO FIGHT FOR 
THE STRUGGLE ♪
♪ AND HE WAS WILLING TO GET IN 
GOOD TROUBLE ♪
♪ HE WAS WILLING TO FIGHT 
HE WAS READY TO FIGHT ♪
♪ HE WAS WILLING TO GET IN GOOD 
TROUBLE ♪
♪ HE WAS WILLING TO FIGHT HE WAS
READY TO FIGHT ♪
♪ HE WAS WILLING TO GET IN GOOD 
TROUBLE ♪
♪ HE WAS WILLING TO FIGHT, 
WILLING TO FIGHT ♪
♪ YES, HE WAS WILLING TO GET IN 
GOOD TROUBLE ♪
♪ WILLING TO FIGHT HE WAS READY 
TO FIGHT ♪
♪ YEAH, HE WAS WILLING TO GET IN
GOOD TROUBLE ♪
♪ HE WAS WILLING TO FIGHT 
READY TO FIGHT 'CAUSE HE WAS 
WILLING TO GET IN GOOD TROUBLE ♪
♪ WILLING TO FIGHT 
READY TO FIGHT 'CAUSE HE WAS 
WILLING TO GET IN GOOD TROUBLE ♪
♪ WILLING TO FIGHT THANK YOU FOR
THAT ♪
♪ WILLING TO GET IN GOOD 
TROUBLE ♪
♪ HE WAS WILLING TO FIGHT WE 
SHOULD BE READY TO FIGHT ♪
♪ AND WILLING TO GET IN GOOD 
TROUBLE ♪
[ APPLAUSE ]
♪
>>> LET US PRAY.
AND WHEN HE SHALL DIE, TAKE HIM 
AND CUT HIM INTO STARS.
HE SHALL MAKE THE FACE OF HEAVEN
SO FINE THAT ALL THE WORLD WILL 
GROW IN LOVE WITH NIGHT AND PAY 
NO WORSHIP TO THE GARISH SUM.
GRACIOUS AND LOVING GOD WE 
COMMEND INTO YOUR SAFETY THE 
SOUL OF YOUR SON, JOHN ROBERT 
LEWIS.
YOU'VE SEEN THE AFFIDAVIT OF HIS
DEEDS, YES.
HE STAYED IN TROUBLE, GOOD 
TROUBLE.
NECESSARY TROUBLE.
HE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT.
HE FINISHED HIS COURSE.
HE KEPT THE FAITH.
AND NOW YOU HAVE LAID OUT FOR 
HIM A CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BUT
NOT ONLY TO HIM, BUT TO ALL 
THOSE WHO LOVE GOD'S APPEARING.
NOW PART OF A GREAT MIGHTY CLOUD
OF WITNESSES IS HE, THESE ARE 
THEY WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE 
GREAT TRIBULATION, THEY WASHED 
THEIR ROBES IN THE BLOOD OF THE 
LAMB.
THE ANGELS REJOICE BECAUSE HE 
HAS BEEN VINDICATED BY HISTORY.
HIS DEEDS ETCHED INTO ETERNITY 
AND HIS SOUL RECEIVED INTO YOUR 
GLORY IN THE NAME OF THE GOD WHO
LOVES US AND TO FREEDOM AND 
FREES US INTO LOVING, THROUGH 
JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD WE PRAY, 
AMEN.
>> RAPHAEL WARNOCK WITH THE 
BENEDICTION WAS INDEED A GRAND 
LOOK FOR A GREAT MAN.
JOHN LEWIS CELEBRATED AT 
EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH WITH 
FAMILY, FRIENDS, THREE AMERICAN 
PRESIDENTS.
>> WE PRAY THAT TODAY WAS A 
MEMORABLE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE FOR
ALL OF YOU.
NOW PASTOR WARNOCK WILL GREET 
THE FAMILY ALONG WITH REVEREND 
DR. BERNICE KING AND FOLLOW THE 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE'S 
INSTRUCTIONS AS THEY CARRY OUT 
OUR REPRESENTATIVE LEWIS.
>> JOINED BY OUR TEAM AT ABC.
ROBIN ROBERTS, WE SAW A LITTLE 
BIT OF EVERYTHING ABOUT JOHN 
LEWIS TODAY, THE HUMAN BEING, 
THE YOUNG MAN OF COURAGE, THE 
POLITICIAN, FAMILY MAN, GREAT 
MENTOR TO HIS STAFF AND A 
CEREMONY FILLED WITH LAUGHTER, 
TEARS AND, ROBIN, NOT A LITTLE 
BIT OF POLITICS.
>> YES, YES, AS YOU WOULD 
EXPECT, GEORGE.
WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID THAT 
JOHN LEWIS, IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT
CHANGING LAWS, HE WAS ABOUT 
CHANGING HEARTS AND MINDS AND I 
WAS REALLY STRUCK WHEN HIS 
DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, WHEN SHE 
SAID THAT CONGRESSMAN LEWIS 
COULD FIND COMPROMISE WITHOUT 
COMPROMISING HIS VALUES AND HIS 
BELIEFS AND THAT'S SOMETHING 
THAT I THINK PERMEATED 
THROUGHOUT THE CELEBRATION OF 
HIS LIFE, THAT AND THE FACT THAT
HE WAS A VERY HUMBLE MAN.
>> BYRON PITTS A CELEBRATION OF 
HIS LIFE AND LESSON IN HISTORY 
TODAY, THE HISTORY OF THE MODERN
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. 
>> YES, HE SYMBOLIZED THAT.
LEWIS SAID IN 1955 HE HEARD DR. 
KING ON THE RADIO FOR THE FIRST 
TIME AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 
HIS LIFE HE HEARD A SERMON NOT 
ABOUT LIFE AND THE AFTER YONDER 
BUT LIFE NOW AND A CERTAINLIEN 
ABOUT SOCIAL GOSPEL AS DR. KING 
CALLED IT AND, GEORGE, I THINK 
IN HIS LAST MANY DAYS OF 
TRIBUTES WE'VE BEEN REMINDED 
THAT JOHN LEWIS "TIME" MAGAZINE 
CALLED HIM A SAINT IN 1975, A 
LIVING SAINT.
TODAY PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID HE 
WAS SCRIPTURE.
ISAIAH 6:8.
HERE I AM, LORD, SEND ME AND 
THESE DAYS OF TRIBUTES REMIND US
JOHN LEWIS WAS ALSO A SERMON.
A GOOD SERMON TOUCHES YOUR 
HEART.
IT MAKES YOU LAUGH.
IT MAKES YOU THINK.
IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER AND 
ALSO IT ENCOURAGES YOU TO DO 
BETTER, TO ACT BETTER AND I 
THINK IN HIS 80 YEARS ON THE 
EARTH THAT'S WHAT JOHN LEWIS 
HOPED TO DO, TO HELP AMERICA DO 
BETTER. 
>> LINSEY, HIS FINAL MESSAGE AS 
WELL, GO OUT AND DO THE WORK, 
LET FREEDOM RING. 
>> I THINK IT WAS A REALLY 
PROPHETIC MOMENT WE WITNESSED 
WHILE PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS 
DELIVERING THE EULOGY AND SAW 
ABOUT A DOZEN BLACK CHILDREN 
MARCHING OUTSIDE OF THE WINDOWS 
HERE IN TIMES SQUARE DEMANDING 
CHANGE, DOING IT IN A PEACEFUL 
WAY, JUST THE WAY JOHN LEWIS 
WOULD HAVE WANTED IT.
AND WE SAW THAT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER ON 
SUNDAY WHEN WE SAW THE BODY TAKE
THAT FINAL TRIP OVER THE BRIDGE 
AND THEY SAID, THE YOUNGER 
GENERATION, WE GOT THIS AND 
WE'RE SEEING IT PLAY OUT IN THE 
STREETS AND AT THE BALLOT -- ON 
THE BALLOT BOX, 116 AS OF 
MID-JUNE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR 
CONGRESS IN 2020.
OKAY, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 
NEARLY 60 BLACK WOMEN, THAT'S A 
RECORD NUMBER OF BLACK WOMEN WHO
ARE RUNNING FOR CONGRESS, JUST 
IN HIS TENURE WE'VE SEEN GO FROM
22 TO 53 BLACK MEMBERS IN THE 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND 
JUST TO GIVE ONE EXAMPLE.
NA KEMAH WILLIAMS, SHE'S 
ACTUALLY THE ONE THAT'S BEEN 
TAPPED TO REPLACE LEWIS ON THE 
BALLOT FOLLOWING HIS FOOTSTEPS 
CALLING FOR EQUALITY, WHEN SHE 
WAS MAKING AN APPEAL ON MONDAY 
TO HER DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES SHE
POINTED TO WHEN SHE WAS ARRESTED
IN 2018 AT THE STATE CAPITOL 
WITH VOTERS RIGHTS ACTIVISTS 
SAYING IT SHOWED HER WILLINGNESS
TO GET IN GOOD TROUBLE.
>> JOHN LEWIS BEING ESCORTED OUT
OF THE CHURCH, AGAIN, BY A 
MILITARY HONOR GUARD.
THE MAN WHO WAS BEATEN BY THE 
STATE POLICE OF ALABAMA BACK IN 
1965, ACCORDED SO MANY MILITARY 
HONORS AND PROTECTIONS THIS WEEK
BY THE ARMED FORCES OF THE 
UNITED STATES.
DAVID MUIR, AS CONGRESSMAN LEWIS
IS BEING TAKEN A CROWD GATHERED 
OUTSIDE THE CHURCH AS WELL TO 
HONOR THE CONGRESSMAN.
>> GEORGE, IT WAS QUITE MOVING 
TO WATCH WHAT THEY WERE REACTING
TO DURING THIS SERVICE.
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF 
SUPPORTERS RIGHT HERE IN THE 
ATLANTA AREA GATHERED OUTSIDE 
THE EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH AND 
AS THEY WATCH THE FLAG DRAPED 
COFFIN CARRIED OUTSIDE, YOU CAN 
SEE THERE NOW THE CROWD 
GATHERING.
THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT REACTION 
WHEN SUPPORTERS OF JOHN LEWIS 
SAW THOSE THREE PRESIDENTS SHOW 
UP TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE LATE 
CONGRESSMAN, PRESIDENTS BUSH, 
CLINTON, THERE WAS RESOUNDING 
APPLAUSE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE 
CHURCH WHEN THEY WERE WATCHING 
UP ON THE BIG SCREEN AS THEY 
ENTERED THE COURSE AND, OF 
COURSE, PRESIDENT OBAMA LATER IN
THE SERVICE.
IT WAS PRESIDENT BUSH WHO SAID, 
YOU KNOW, WE LIVE IN A BETTER 
MORE NOBLE COUNTRY BECAUSE OF 
JOHN LEWIS.
PRESIDENT CLINTON IN A NOD TO 
JOHN LEWIS' OWN WORDS IN "THE 
NEW YORK TIMES" THIS MORNING, HE
SAID ONLY PUBLISH THIS THE DAY 
OF MY FUNERAL AND HE BASICALLY 
GAVE MARCHING ORDERS AND BILL 
CLINTON SAID THAT HE'S UP YONDER
NOW DELIVERING US OUR MARCHING 
ORDERS.
WE BETTER SUIT UP.
HE SAID HE'S CLOSER TO GOD AND 
CAN WATCH US.
WE HAVE OUR WORK TO DO IN SO 
MANY WORDS AND PRESIDENT OBAMA 
SAID IMAGINE A BOY FROM TROY 
BEING ABLE TO STAND UP TO 
LEADERS AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS 
ISN'T RIGHT.
HE SAID OUR COUNTRY WAS BUILT BY
MEN LIKE JOHN LEWIS, IT WAS 
BUILT BY JOURNALISTS AND THAT 
DREW NOT ONLY APPLAUSE INSIDE 
BUT OUTSIDE THE CHURCH.
INCREDIBLY MOVING AS ALL THREE 
OF THOSE PRESIDENTS PAID 
TRIBUTE, GEORGE.
>> JOHN LEWIS NOW HEADING TO HIS
FINAL RESTING PLACE IN ATLANTA.
WANT TO BRING IN ANOTHER ONE OF 
OUR CORRESPONDENTS WHO CUT HIS 
TEETH IN ATLANTA COVERING JOHN 
LEWIS, T.J. HOLMES.
YOUR THOUGHTS.
>> IT'S KIND OF CHILLING TO 
WATCH THIS RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE, 
FOR PERSPECTIVE OF WHERE YOU 
ARE, HE'S BEING BROUGHT OUT OF A
SANCTUARY THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS 
THE STREET FROM WHERE MARTIN 
LUTHER KING IS BURIED.
IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET 
FROM HISTORIC EBENEZER BAPTIST 
CHURCH AND THE BASEMENT WHERE 
THEY PLANNED SO MUCH OF THE 
MOVEMENT.
IT'S RIGHT UP THE STREET FROM 
THE BOYHOOD HOME WHERE MARTIN 
LUTHER KING WAS BORN.
JUST THIS AREA, THIS SECTION OF 
ATLANTA IS HISTORIC.
THIS IS A BLACK MECCA AND JOHN 
LEWIS ABSOLUTELY PLAYS A ROLE 
AND HAS A PLACE AS A FOUNDING 
FATHER AS WE HEARD DURING THE 
FUNERAL AS A FOUNDING FATHER OF 
THIS NEW AMERICA WE'RE GOING TO 
HAVE AND I HEARD IT SO MANY 
TIMES THROUGHOUT THIS CEREMONY, 
YOU TALK ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE AND 
TAKING PEOPLE UNDER HIS WING A
D
TIBUR FALLS HAVING TEARS READING
THE POEM.
I WAS A 28-YEAR-OLD MAN MOVING 
TO ATLANTA AS A NATIONAL NEWS 
ANCHOR, SOME HOTHEAD.
TOO BIG FOR MY BRITCHES.
I HAVE DONE ALL THIS ON MY OWN.
I'M SUCH A SUCCESS AND JOHN 
LEWIS AND AMBASSADOR YOUNG AND 
SOME OF THESE GUYS IN ATLANTA 
TOOK ME UNDER THEIR WING IN A 
LOT OF WAYS AND BY EXAMPLE AND 
SOMETIMES BY ACTION SHOWED ME, 
LOOK, HERE YOUNG FELLA, YOU ARE 
WHERE YOU ARE BECAUSE OF US.
THEY JOKED WITH ME SOMETIME AND 
DIDN'T MIND SAYING IT BUT YOU 
ARE WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE OF THE 
WORK WE PUT IN AND WHAT A LESSON
IN LIFE THAT I GOT AS A YOUNG 
MAN FROM GUYS LIKE JOHN LEWIS 
SHOWING ME THAT YOU HAVE SO MUCH
MORE YOU CAN DO, YOU DID NONE OF
THIS ON YOUR OWN, YOUNG FELLA 
AND TO SEE HIM NOW AND THE TIME 
I SPENT WITH HIM, NOT HYPERBOLE,
ONE OF THE GREAT HONORS OF MY 
LIFE TO HAVE THE TIME I HAD WITH
JOHN LEWIS IN ATLANTA. 
>> THANK YOU, T.J.
DEBORAH ROBERTS, WE HEAR STORIES
LIKE THAT AND HAVE HEARD THEM 
ALL WEEK LONG AGAIN AND AGAIN 
AND AGAIN.
HE HAS INSPIRED GENERATIONS.
>> YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, 
GEORGE.
HE MAY HAVE BEEN THE BOY FROM 
TROY BUT, GEORGIA ACCLAIMED HIM.
HE WAS RE-ELECTED 16 TIMES IN 
THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
MY RELATIVE THERE IS SAY THEY 
HAVE BEEN CRYING ALL WEEK JUST 
WATCHING THE LINES WRAP AROUND 
THE BLOCK TO GO AND SEE HIM.
BUT WHAT REALLY I THINK STRUCK 
ME WAS JUST HEARING SO MUCH 
ABOUT THE HUMANITY.
THIS WAS A MAN WHO WAS AN ICON 
BUT ALSO HAD THAT HUMAN TOUCH.
I'LL REMEMBER, I'LL NEVER FORGET
THE ONE TIME OR FEW TYPES I HAD 
A CHANCE TO MEET HIM.
ONE TIME AT THE CAPITOL.
AND WE STARTED TALKING AND HE 
REALIZED I WAS FROM GEORGIA AND 
HE WANTED TO HAVE ME COME BACK 
TO HIS OFFICE AND TALK TO ME AND
HEAR MY STORY AND HE GAVE ME A 
LITTLE PACK OF PEANUTS, GEORGIA 
PEANUTS AND I SUSPECTED HE 
PROBABLY GAVE THOSE TO EVERYBODY
BUT HE JUST CARED SO MUCH ABOUT 
HIS LEGACY, HE CARED ABOUT 
PEOPLE, THAT HUMAN TOUCH.
HE WAS PROBABLY RUNNING LATE FOR
SOMETHING AS HIS STAFF MEMBER 
SAID THERE.
HE WAS ALWAYS RUNNING LATE 
BECAUSE HE WOULD TAKE THE TIME 
TO TALK TO PEOPLE BUT JOHN LEWIS
JUST REALLY, REALLY REPRESENTED 
SOMETHING AND PARTICULARLY AS A 
DAUGHTER OF THE SOUTH, IF YOU 
MET HIM, HE WAS SOMEBODY WHO WAS
JUST HAD A LEGACY AND HE TOUCHED
SO MANY PEOPLE THAT I KNEW AND 
WATCHING THIS FUNERAL REALLY 
CERTAINLY TOUCHED ME TODAY.
>> AND PIERRE THOMAS, THANK YOU.
PIERRE THOMAS, SO MANY 
CONNECTIONS TO THE CAUSES OF OUR
TIME OVER THE COURSE OF THIS 
FUNERAL.
REMINDER THAT JUST A FEW WEEKS 
AGO EBENEZER BAPTIST WAS THE 
HOME TO ANOTHER FUNERAL, THE 
FUNERAL FOR RAYSHARD BROOKS 
KILLED AT THE HANDS OF POLICE 
WHO'S BEEN ONE OF THE MEN 
REMEMBERED AS PEOPLE TAKE TO THE
STREETS TODAY.
>> GEORGE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY 
RIGHT.
I WAS STRUCK IN HIS LETTER TO 
"THE NEW YORK TIMES" THAT WAS TO
BE READ TODAY, THOUGHT UPON 
TODAY THAT HE TALKED ABOUT ALL 
THOSE BLACK LIVES LOST.
HE MENTIONED GEORGE FLOYD 
SPECIFICALLY.
HE MENTIONED RAYSHARD BROOKS.
HE MENTIONED ELIJAH McCLAIN, 
ANOTHER YOUNG MAN HE DESCRIBED 
AS A WONDERFUL VIOLINIST.
GEORGE, THIS MAN WAS ABOUT 
TRYING TO TURN WHAT FOR MANY WAS
THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE INTO SOME
SEMBLANCE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM.
AND ALL THIS WEEK THIS 
OUTPOURING OF LOVE IS ABOUT THE 
FACT THAT HE CARED AND HE 
ATTEMPTED TO DO SOMETHING AND, 
GEORGE, I WAS REALLY STRUCK BY 
THE FACT THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA 
GAVE A FULL-THROATED ENDORSEMENT
OF FIGHTING AGAINST THE FORCES 
THAT WOULD RESTRICT THE RIGHT TO
VOTE.
THIS WAS CLEARLY PERSONAL FOR 
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
STATES AND HE TOOK IT RIGHT TO 
THE PULPIT TODAY TO MAKE IT 
CLEAR THAT IT WAS ABOUT JOHN 
LEWIS' LEGACY THAT HE MUST PUSH 
AND GET INTO SOME GOOD TROUBLE 
TODAY, GEORGE. 
>> NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT, 
PIERRE THOMAS, THANKS VERY MUCH.
MARY BRUCE, AS DIRECT AS YOU 
COULD IMAGINE PRESIDENT OBAMA 
BEING IN THOSE CALLS FOR CHANGE 
FOR EXPLICIT POLITICAL CHANGE 
REMINDING PEOPLE OF GEORGE 
WALLACE EVEN IN THE COURSE OF 
THAT EULOGY AND IT'S JUST HARD 
TO NOT OBSERVE THAT TODAY JOHN 
LEWIS WAS CELEBRATED BY THREE 
AMERICAN PRESIDENTS, A FOURTH 
SENT HIS CONDOLENCES, BUT THE 
CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
STATES NOT THERE.
COULD NOT BE THERE.
>> AND, OF COURSE, PRESIDENT 
TRUMP AND CONGRESSMAN LEWIS HAVE
A VERY TENSE PAST.
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS NOT MINCED 
WORDS WHEN ATTACKING CONGRESSMAN
LEWIS.
AT ONE POINT SAYING THAT HE WAS 
ALL TALK AND NO ACTION, WHICH 
WAS RESOUNDLY CONDEMNED EVEN BY 
MEMBERS OF THE PRESIDENT'S OWN 
PARTY BECAUSE, OF COURSE, IT WAS
JOHN LEWIS' ACTIONS THAT CHANGED
THE COURSE OF HISTORY IN THIS 
COUNTRY AND PRESIDENT TRUMP 
TODAY TOOK TO TWITTER WITH A 
LITANY OF FALSEHOODS ABOUT 
VOTING RIGHTS IN THIS COUNTRY.
HE SUGGESTED THAT MAIL-IN VOTING
WOULD LEAD TO INACCURATE AND 
FRAUDULENT RESULTS IN NOVEMBER 
AND SUGGESTED THAT THE ACTUAL 
ELECTION SHOULD BE POSTPONED.
SOMETHING, OF COURSE, WHICH 
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ABSOLUTELY 
NO CONTROL OVER.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CONGRESS 
DETERMINES AND IT'S VERY CLEAR 
THAT WILL SIMPLY NOT BE 
HAPPENING BUT THE PRESIDENT 
MAKING THAT CALL TODAY OF ALL 
DAYS AS THE COUNTRY COMES 
TOGETHER TO MOURN AND HONOR THE 
LIFE AND LEGACY OF JOHN LEWIS 
REALLY OFFENDED A LOT OF PEOPLE 
AND IT OFFENDED SOME OF THOSE 
MOST CLOSE WITH JOHN LEWIS, WE 
HEARD FROM CONGRESSMAN JIM 
CLYBURN, OF COURSE, ONE OF 
LEWIS' CLOSEST FRIENDS, HE'S 
THERE TODAY AND HE TOOK TO 
TWITTER SAYING THE PRESIDENT'S 
SUGGESTION OF DELAYING THE 
ELECTION ON A DAY WE LAY JOHN 
LEWIS TO REST IS THE MOST 
DESPICABLE AFRONT TO HIS MEMORY 
AND LEGACY.
AMERICANS WILL RISE UP AND 
CONTINUE JOHN'S FIGHT FOR 
UNFETTERED ACCESS TO THE BALLOT 
BOX.
OUR VOICES WILL NOT BE SILENCED.
AND PRESIDENT OBAMA THEN CLEARLY
SENDING A MESSAGE SAYING THAT 
LEWIS SPENT HIS LIFE FIGHTING 
FOR THINGS THAT THE VERY 
ATTACKS -- THAT ARE UNDER ATTACK
RIGHT NOW, OF COURSE, SAYING 
THAT VOTING RIGHT, THE VOTING 
RIGHTS THAT JOHN LEWIS FOUGHT 
FOR, MARCHED FOR, BLED FOR 
NEARLY DIED FOR OBAMA POINTING 
OUT ARE UNDER ATTACK RIGHT NOW 
WITHOUT SAYING HIS NAME, IT WAS 
VERY CLEAR WHO PRESIDENT OBAMA 
WAS SPEAKING ABOUT AND WHEN YOU 
TAKE A STEP BACK, WELL, BARACK 
OBAMA, WHAT HE WAS SAYING WAS 
THAT JOHN LEWIS' LEGACY IS ON 
THE LINE IN THIS ELECTION.
HE WAS VERY CLEAR IN SAYING IF 
YOU WANT TO CARRY ON LEWIS' 
LEGACY AND CARRY ON THIS FIGHT 
YOU NEED TO VOTE. 
>> THANKS VERY MUCH.
TERRY MORAN, THE MAYOR MADE THAT
POINT EXPLICITLY REMINDING 
EVERYONE OF HIS FINAL 
CONVERSATION, JOHN LEWIS SAYING 
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT 
ELECTION OF OUR LIFETIME.
MAKE SURE EVERYONE GOES OUT AND 
VOTES.
>> AND THAT'S WHAT STRUCK ME, 
GEORGE.
AT FUNERALS AND MEMORIAL 
SERVICES, THEY'RE USUALLY ABOUT 
YESTERDAYS.
THIS WAS SO INTENSELY ABOUT 
TOMORROW.
ABOUT NOVEMBER 3rd AND BEYOND 
AND THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THE
FAITH, THE FIGHT, THE IDEALS 
THAT JOHN LEWIS SPENT HIS LIFE 
DEDICATED TO, THEY DON'T GO INTO
THE HEREAFTER WITH HIM.
THEY ARE ALIVE AS HE KNEW AS HE 
WANTED THEM TO BE AND HE WAS 
CALLED AS OUR COLLEAGUES POINTED
OUT BY PRESIDENT OBAMA, A MAN 
WHO WILL BE, WILL BE, FUTURE 
TENSE A FOUNDING FATHER OF THE 
FAIRER AND BETTER AMERICA.
IN MANY WAYS WHAT WE'RE SEEING 
RIGHT NOW IS THE STRUGGLE 
BETWEEN THE AMERICA OF YESTERDAY
AND THE AMERICA OF TOMORROW.
HIS STORIANS TALK ABOUT THE 
STRUGGLE FOR THE THIRD AMERICAN 
REPUBLIC TO BE BORN, THE FIRST 
FROM OUR FOUNDING TO THE CIVIL 
WAR, A NEW DEMOCRACY IN THE 
WORLD CRIPPLED BY RACIST 
SLAVERY, THE SECOND FROM THE 
CIVIL WAR TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS 
MOVEMENT.
A BETTER COUNTRY BUT STILL 
SADDLED WITH SEGREGATION BY LAW.
AND THE STRUGGLE FOR THE THIRD 
AMERICAN REPUBLIC WHICH JOHN 
LEWIS FOUGHT HIS LIFE FOR GOES 
ON.
IN THE STREET WHERE YOU ARE AND 
I AM AS WELL YOUNG PEOPLE 
PICKING UP THE TORCH TO 
VINDICATE THE IDEALS THAT JOHN 
LEWIS FOUGHT FOR.
IT WAS STRIKING TO ME THAT THIS 
WAS A FUNERAL, YES, A PASSING, 
YES, BUT A LOOKING FORWARD WITH 
THE EXAMPLE OF HIS LIFE TO THE 
FIGHT AHEAD.
>> TERRY MORAN, THANKS VERY 
MUCH.
KYRA PHILLIPS, WE ALSO LEARNED 
SO MUCH ABOUT THE MAN, HIS LOVE 
STORY.
HOW HE WAS INTRODUCED TO HIS 
WIFE, THE TESTIMONY OF HIS STAFF
WHO SAID HE WAS ALWAYS GETTING 
IN OUR BUSINESS AND I KNOW THAT 
YOU COVERED HIM IN ATLANTA FOR 
MANY YEARS, AS WELL.
>> I DID, FOR 20 YEARS, I GOT TO
KNOW HIM PERSONALLY AND 
PROFESSIONALLY AND, GEORGE, HE 
MADE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON MY 
LIFE.
WE TALK ABOUT THE GOOD TROUBLE, 
WELL, WHEN I WAS HAVING TROUBLE,
I CALLED JOHN LEWIS AND ONE 
STORY IN PARTICULAR ACTUALLY WAS
HAPPENING RIGHT THERE NEXT TO 
WHERE THE SERVICE WAS THERE IN 
THE EBENEZER CHURCH AT THE KING 
CENTER THERE WAS AN EXHIBIT OF 
LYNCHING PICTURE, IT WAS CALLED 
"WITHOUT SANCTUARY" AND IT WAS 
SO POWERFUL AND WANTED TO DO A 
STORY ON THIS AND GO LIVE FOR 
THE NETWORK WHERE I WAS WORKING 
AND I WAS GETTING A LOT OF 
PUSHBACK.
PEOPLE SAID TO ME, OOH, THIS IS 
TOO MUCH FOR OUR VIEWERS.
I DON'T THINK THIS WILL WORK OUT
AND I CALLED CONGRESSMAN LEWIS, 
GEORGE, AND I SAID HOW DO I 
CONVINCE MY WHITE CO-WORKERS HOW
IMPORTANT THIS IS AND WHY WE 
SHOULD COVER THIS AND HE SAID, 
KYRA, IT IS A GOOD THING THAT 
THEY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE 
FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE WILL 
CREATE CONVERSATION AND 
CONVERSATION WILL CREATE CHANGE.
WELL, I WENT BACK AND I FOUGHT 
THE GOOD FIGHT LIKE HE TOLD ME 
TO DO AND I CREATED GOOD TROUBLE
AND, YES, WE COVERED IT AND WE 
HAD BEAUTIFUL LIVE COVERAGE AND 
VOICES ON THE MEANINGS AND THE 
STORIES BEHIND THIS EXHIBIT AND 
I'LL NEVER FORGET HOW HE DID 
THAT FOR ME FOR 20 YEARS AND 
WENT ON AND WORKED TOGETHER WITH
THE OPENING OF THE CIVIL AND 
HUMAN RIGHTS MUSEUM THERE IN 
ATLANTA AND GUESS WHAT, THAT 
"WITHOUT SANCTUARY" EXHIBIT OF 
PICTURES RESTS NOW AT THAT 
MUSEUM, SO IT CAME FULL CIRCLE 
MORE THAN A DECADE LATER.
HE WAS SO HUMBLE, SUCH A 
BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BEING AND HE WAS
FUELED BY HIS FAITH AND I 
LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HIM.
HE EVEN SENT A BOOK TO MY KIDS, 
THE TWINS WHEN THEY WERE BORN, 
GEORGE, AND IN IT HE WROTE, SAGE
AND KELLEN, KEEP THE FAITH AND 
BECAUSE OF THAT, I WILL NEVER 
FORGET WHAT HE DID FOR ME AS A 
PERSON, MY FAMILY AND MY CAREER.
>> HE NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM 
CREATING DISCOMFORT.
BYRON PITTS, YOU'VE BEEN AT THE 
DESK WITH ME THIS WEEK AS WE'VE 
SEEN SO MUCH OF THE LIFE OF JOHN
LEWIS.
YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS?
>> GEORGE, TODAY WAS A REMINDER 
ABOUT AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER 
THE MAGIC OF FAITH, OF CHURCH, 
WHEN JOHN LEWIS BELIEVED IN 
POLITICS AS THE CHURCH DOES, HE 
BELIEVED IN PEOPLE.
HE ALSO BELIEVED IN PRAYER.
GEORGE, THE LAST PAGE, THE LAST 
PARAGRAPH OF HIS MEMOIR "WALKING
WITH THE WIND," HIS WORDS, WE 
PRAY BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT 
PRAYING CAN MAKE WHAT WE BELIEVE
OUR DREAMS AND OUR VISIONS COME 
TRUE.
THERE IS AN OLD AFRICAN PROVERB 
WHEN YOU PRAY MOVE YOUR FEET.
AS A NATION IF WE CARE FOR THE 
BELOVED COMMUNITY WE MUST MOVE 
OUR FEET, OUR HANDS, OUR HEARTS,
OUR RESOURCES TO BUILD AND NOT 
TEAR DOWN.
TO RECONCILE AND NOT TO DIVIDE.
TO LOVE AND NOT TO HATE.
TO HEAL AND NOT TO KILL.
IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS WE ARE ONE
PEOPLE, ONE FAMILY, ONE HOUSE, 
THE AMERICAN HOUSE, THE AMERICAN
FAMILY.
AND, GEORGE, AS THEY WOULD SAY 
OUTSIDE EBENEZER TODAY, GLORY 
HALLELUJAH, JOHN LEWIS, GLORY 
HALLE
HALLELUJAH. 
>> AMEN, BYRON PITTS, WE'LL 
RETURN TO OUR REGULAR COVERAGE 
AS YOU SEE JOHN LEWIS' HEARSE 
PREPARED TO GO TO HIS FINAL 
RESTING PLACE.
A FULL REPORT TONIGHT ON "WORLD 
NEWS TONIGHT WITH DAVID MUIR."
HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON.
♪ ONE DAY WHEN THE GLORY COMES 
HE WILL BE OURS ♪
♪ IT WILL BE OURS, OH, ONE DAY ♪
♪ WHEN THE WAR IS WON, WE WILL 
BE SURE, WE WILL BE SURE, OH ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY 
GLORY, OH, GLORY ♪
♪ GLORY ♪
♪ IS ONE, GLORY ♪
♪ WE'LL CRY GLORY, GLORY, OH, 
GLORY ♪
♪ GLORY, GLORY ♪
>> Announcer: THIS HAS BEEN A 
SPECIAL REPORT FROM ABC NEWS.
and eliminate odors for 1200
hours.
♪Breathe Happy Febreze...♪
♪La la la la la.♪♪
All OTC pain relievers including
Voltaren
have one thing in common
None are proven
stronger
or more
effective
against pain
than Salonpas
Patch Large
There's surprising power in this
patch
Salonpas
Dependable,
powerful relief.
Hisamitsu.
Good morning
More treatment?
We're going to try something
different today.
Hi! Awwww, so pretty.
 Dogs bring out the good in us.
 PEDIGREE® brings out the
 good in them.
Pampers
The #1 Pediatrician Recommended
Brand, 
helps keep baby skin dry
& healthy
So every touch is as comforting
as the
first
Pampers. The #1 Pediatrician
Recommended Brand
Mrs. Corinthos,
the principal
of the Port Charles
Elementary School
refused to give you
a letter of recommendation
when the job ended?
No, I did receive one.
Exhibit 2B,
Your Honor --
the glowing
letter of recommendation
that Mrs. Corinthos received
from the principal.
Are you
currently employed?
Yes, I am part of
a pediatric teaching program
at General Hospital.
Is this your current
performance evaluation?
It is.
Will you kindly read it
aloud, please?
ABC news live this is it
it's time to go
maybe that's why in just one
year ABC news live is already
America's number one live
streaming
in the
watch
live right now anytime
streaming on roku
Facebook and ABC news dot com
ABC news live streaming
everywhere right
TEACHERS ALIKE, TRYING TO 
BALANCE 
kindergarten teacher Megan
Kerrigan is not letting the
pandemic keeper out of the
classroom being able to see the
growth that 
OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.
>> BEING ABLE TO SEE THE GROWTH 
THE STUDENTS MAKE WHEN THEY 
FIRST START WITH US TO THE END 
OF THE YEAR IS JUST PRICELESS.
>> KERRIGAN KNOWS THE RISKS 
SHE'S TAKING EACH TIME SHE COMES
TO WORK.
SHE'S A CANCER SURVIVOR AND 
DIABETIC.
IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, TO YOU
FEEL LIKE YOU'RE TAKING A RISK 
EVERY TIME YOU WALK INTO THE 
CLASSROOM?
>> HONESTLY, YES.
WE TAKE RISKS IN EVERYTHING WE 
DO EACH DAY, BUT GIVEN THE 
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT I'VE ALREADY 
GONE THROUGH, I FEEL LIKE I NEED
TO DO THE BEST THAT I CAN TO 
LIVE MY LIFE TO THE FULLEST.
AND AS LONG AS I KNOW THAT I AM 
TAKING ALL THE PRECAUTIONS THAT 
I NEED TO TAKE THEN I'M GOING TO
BE OKAY.
>> N.
>> KERRIGAN HAS BEEN TEACHING 
FOR 15 YEARS AT BENNETT 
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NEAR 
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
WHAT ARE KIDS MISSING OUT ON IF 
THEY'RE STAYING AT HOME DURING 
THE PANDEMIC?
>> IT'S DIFFERENT SCHOOL TO 
SCHOOL.
BUT THERE ARE THOSE KIDS WHO 
COME TO SCHOOL AS THEIR SAFE 
PLACE.
WE PROVIDE MEALS FOR THEM.
NOT ONLY THE ACADEMICS WHICH ARE
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BUT IT IS 
THE SOCIAL SUPPORT THAT THEY GET
HERE.
>> THE SCHOOL, LIKE THE REST OF 
OUR SOCIETY, HAS BEEN ALTERED BY
COVID-19.
HAND SANITIZER, MORE HAND 
WASHING, SEATING CHARTS, 
ATTEMPTING TO SPACE OUT DESKS.
SOME STUDENTS IN MASKS, OTHERS 
NOT.
RULES VARY FROM DISTRICT TO 
DISTRICT.
FACE COVERINGS HERE ARE NOT 
MANDATORY FOR KINDERGARTENERS.
>> I HAVE BEEN AROUND 
KINDERGARTENERS AND LITTLE KIDS 
AND THEY CAN'T KEEP THEIR HANDS 
OFF EACH OTHER, HOW ARE YOU 
PLANNING TO KEEP THEM APART?
>> NO SIYSTEM IS PERFECT, BUT T 
THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY WE HAVE 
PUT IN DIFFERENT PROCEDURES TO 
KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING.
WILL THEY SOMETIMES BUMP INTO 
EACH OTHER?
ABSOLUTELY.
WILL WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM 
FRIENDLY REMINDERS TO GET THEM 
TO SOCIAL DISTANCE, ABSOLUTELY.
>> THIS IS WHAT THE FUTURE OF 
SCHOOLS COULD LOOK LIKE ACROSS 
AMERICA, BUT HOW SOON KIDS AND 
TEACHERS RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM
AND WHETHER THEY SHOULD AT ALL 
DURING THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC
IS TURNING SCHOOLS INTO THE NEXT
BATTLE GROUND.
>> NO DEAD CHILDREN!
>> SO FAR, FIVE STATES HAVE 
ORDERED SCHOOLS TO START 
IN-PERSON CLASSES THIS FALL.
A FEW SCHOOL DISTRICTS LIKE 
THOSE IN SAN DIEGO AND 
PHILADELPHIA ARE REMAINING 
VIRTUAL ONLY UNTIL NOVEMBER AT 
THE EARLIEST.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE 
PRESIDENT TWEETED THREATENING TO
CUT FUNDING IF SCHOOLS DON'T 
REOPEN BY FALL.
>> EVERY DISTRICT SHOULD BE 
ACTIVELY MAKING PREPARATIONS TO 
OPEN.
>> THERE'S NOT A NATIONAL 
SUPERINTENDENT, NOR SHOULD THERE
BE.
THEREFORE, THERE'S NOT A 
NATIONAL PLAN FOR REOPENING.
>> GOVERNORS DETERMINED TO GET 
THEIR STATES BACK TO NORMAL.
>> IF FAST FOOD AND WALMART AND 
HOME DEPOT, I DO ALL THAT, I'M 
NOT LOOKING DOWN ON IT.
IF ALL THAT IS ESSENTIAL, THEN 
EDUCATING OUR KIDS IS ABSOLUTELY
ESSENTIAL.
>> TONIGHT WE GO INSIDE THE 
DEBATE AND INSIDE THE CLASSROOM,
TALKING TO PARENTS, STUDENTS AND
TEACHERS GRAPPLING WITH WHAT'S 
BEST.
>> WE'VE ASKED TEACHERS TO TAKE 
BULLETS FOR OUR CHILDREN.
NOW WE'RE ASKING THEM TO 
POTENTIALLY CONTRACT A DEADLY 
VIRUS.
>> I WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, 
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE 
OF A PANDEMIC, BECAUSE IT IS MY 
SENIOR YEAR.
>> I ABSOLUTELY HAVE NO CHOICE 
BUT TO SEND THEM TO SCHOOL.
BECAUSE I WORK 45 HOURS A WEEK.
>> DON'T PLAY POLITICS WITH OUR 
KIDS.
>> THAT ANGST RAGING ACROSS 
FLORIDA, WHERE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN
ORDERED TO OPEN UP IN AUGUST FOR
IN-PERSON LEARNING, EVEN THOUGH 
TODAY FLORIDA RECORDED ITS 
DEADLIEST DAY DURING THE 
PANDEMIC.
PENSACOLA PARENTS KEITH AND 
MARSHA REEVES DON'T THINK SCHOOL
SHOULD BE OPEN.
>> I WOULD HAVE BEEN OKAY WITH 
EITHER REMOTE LEARNING OR 
VIRTUAL LEARNING.
THAT IS THE SAFEST ALTERNATIVE 
FOR ALL INVOLVED.
>> THEY'RE PARENTS TO 
17-YEAR-OLD AKEILAH.
>> OVER HERE WE HAVE MY DESK 
WHERE I HAVE MY LAPTOP AND MY 
BOOKS AND THINGS OF THAT FOR 
SCHOOL.
>> THEY'VE STRUGGLED OVER 
WHETHER TO SEND THEIR DAUGHTER 
BACK TO CLASS.
>> WELL, THE OPTIONS FOR AKEILAH
TO LEARN ARE OF COURSE THE 
TRADITIONAL ROUTE.
AND OF COURSE VIRTUAL.
>> AS A FAMILY, WE TALKED ABOUT 
IT.
WE DISCUSSED THE PROS, THE CONS.
AND WE ULTIMATELY ALLOWED 
AKEILAH TO MAKE THAT DECISION 
FOR HER.
>> BUT AKEILAH, A RISING SENIOR,
SAYS REMOTE LEARNING HELD HER 
BACK.
>> I REALIZED THAT I'M NOT THE 
TYPE OF PERSON WHO CAN SIT IN 
FRONT OF
