John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation’s Post

70 years ago, a 14-year-old John Lewis read about the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education. He was excited about the prospect of the end of racial segregation in public schools, but was frustrated when he realized the Alabama state government was not going to implement the decision. He first heard Dr. King speak a year later and started on his journey of becoming a civil rights icon. In 2002, at a ceremony commemorating the 48th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education at Topeka’s First United Methodist Church, Congressman John Lewis said, “Had there been no May 17, 1954, I’m not sure there would have been a Little Rock. I’m not sure there would have been a Martin Luther King Jr., or Rosa Parks, had it not been for May 17, 1954. It created an environment for us to push, for us to pull. We live in a different country, a better country, because of what happened here in 1954. And we must never forget it. We must tell the story again, over and over and over. ” The decision in Brown v. Board of Education was not the end of the struggle. It was not the beginning. It was, however, an important milestone on the path to justice. A path we’re still on today. Sources: Los Angeles Public Library Blog https://lnkd.in/ezT6DBaP Smithsonian National Museum of American History https://lnkd.in/eJyuXA8Y #BrownvBoard #CivilRights #GoodTrouble

This month, the United States Institute of Peace welcomed its inaugural cohort of John Lewis Peace Fellows (named below). The newly-established John Lewis Peace Fellowship, named in honor of Congressman John Lewis (himself a great champion of USIP) is a two-month residency at USIP headquarters in Washington, D.C. for peace practitioners who are actively leading programs or projects in conflict zones around the world. Our Board Chair, Michael E. Collins and CEO Detria Austin Everson, were part of the welcome. Michael told them that Congressman Lewis would be so proud, "because you're doing God's work. Taking care of people who have been left out and left behind." After a screening of the documentary "Good Trouble" by Dawn Porter, Detria asked the fellows to share their reflections. Almost all of the fellows were moved to tears. One woman said, "While I was watching, I was thinking of the little time I have left. There is so much to do. I can't be afraid." Several of the fellows remarked on Congressman Lewis' moral clarity. It was a moving experience to see these peacebuilders from around the world draw inspiration from Congressman Lewis and pledge to do even more in the name of peace. Each of the fellows were given a copy of “Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America” by John Lewis. In June, the Lewis Foundation will host the fellows in Atlanta. They'll also visit key Civil Rights Movement locations in Alabama before returning to Washington, D.C. Click here for more details: https://lnkd.in/eHtPkQXz The First Cohort of John Lewis Peace Fellows Aliah Adam Founder, Singanen o Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Women's Peacebuilders Network, Philippines Madeleine Maceno-Avignon Country Director, Communities Organizing for Haitian Engagement and Development, (COFED), Haiti Farah Bdour Country Director, Seeds of Peace, Jordan James Kinu Komengi Independent Consultant, Tari, Papua New Guinea Aloys Mahwa Country Director, Living Peace Institute, Democratic Republic of Congo. Alba Purroy Director, Redialogo, Venezuela #USIP #Peace #GoodTrouble #GoodTroublemakers Credits: Photos 1,2,3 and 9: JLMLF Photos 4,5,6,7,8: Courtesy of the U.S. Institute of Peace cc: Michael Yaffe and Margo Cunniffe

Congratulations to our Board Member Fred Humphries (Corporate VP of U.S. Government Affairs for Microsoft) on being named to Washingtonian Magazine's list of The 500 Most Influential People Shaping Policy. Click here to read more: https://lnkd.in/enCiYuDd Fred Humphries graduated from Morehouse College and received his law degree from Temple University - James E. Beasley School of Law. Copying our other board members: Michael E. Collins, J Veronica Biggins, Sherry Frank, Helene Gayle, Tharon Johnson, Stephen L. McDaniel, CFRE and Rodney Slater. #tech #technology #telecom #cloudcomputing

On May 5, 2001, Caroline Kennedy and Sen. Ted Kennedy presented Rep. John Lewis with a “Profile in Courage” Award for Lifetime Achievement from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. In his acceptance speech, Rep. Lewis said, in part, “As we begin a new century, we must move our feet, our hands, our hearts, our resources to build and not to tear down, to reconcile and not to divide, to love and not to hate, to heal and not to kill. I hope and pray that we continue our daring drive to work toward the Beloved Community. It is still within our reach. Keep your eyes on the Prize.” Sen. Kennedy, in his remarks, said in part, “In John Lewis, we are humbled to see a person of towering physical and moral courage – a man who has accomplished what so many others would fear to try. He is indeed a worthy recipient of the Profile in Courage Lifetime Achievement Award.” Click here for more details and to read both speeches in full. https://lnkd.in/eYhixkkA Photo via Ted Kennedy, Jr. (Twitter) #GoodTrouble #JohnLewis #ProfileinCourage #JFKLibrary #JFK

Sixty-three years ago today, a then-21 year old John Lewis left Washington, DC for New Orleans as one of the original 13 Freedom Riders. It was a diverse group that had applied for the privilege of testing a Supreme Court decision desegregating interstate transportation facilities - bus terminals, lunch counters and waiting rooms - across the Jim Crow South. Organized by the Congress of Racial Equality, the Freedom Rides of 1961 had its roots in a similar action that tested segregated buses in 1947. John Lewis and others were met with violence from angry mobs and arrested, but as opposition grew, so did support for the effort. Lewis was viciously beaten in South Carolina and arrested in Mississippi. On September 22, 1961, the Interstate Commerce Commission finally issued regulations that banned segregation in interstate travel facilities. Learn More Ray arsenault's “Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice” (Arsenault recently published a biography of John Lewis), https://lnkd.in/e_F2wFCa The Tennessean, “Paving the way: Meet the 13 original Freedom Riders who changed travel in the South” (June 1, 2021) https://lnkd.in/eNVPTUEV The New York Times, “Who Were the Freedom Riders?” (July 18, 2020) https://lnkd.in/guQJxWB The Obama Foundation's Oral History: “Voices of the Freedom Riders” https://lnkd.in/eAsV-tjp Photo: Eleven of the thirteen original Freedom Riders in 1961. Credit: Johnson Publishing Company via The Tennessean. John Lewis is in the back row on the left. #GoodTrouble #CivilRightsHistory #FreedomRiders #FreedomRides1961 #JohnLewis

We are proud to celebrate and honor Jewish American Heritage Month. In 1982, John Lewis, while a member of the Atlanta City Council, worked with the American Jewish Committee (AJC) to found the Atlanta Black-Jewish Coalition. He continued his coalition building work while a member of Congress, helping to found the Congressional Black-Jewish Caucus in 2019. Click here for more on the Atlanta-Black Jewish Coalition: https://lnkd.in/ezqTaPDJ Click here to read President Biden’s proclamation for Jewish American Heritage Month https://lnkd.in/gjkApdiQ #JewishHeritageMonth #BlackJewishCoalition #AtlantaBlackJewishCoalition #GoodTrouble

We are proud to celebrate and honor Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month. The Southern Poverty Law Center has a great list of books you can read to learn more about #AAPI history and culture. https://lnkd.in/gEUxuYEp Click here to read President Biden’s proclamation: https://lnkd.in/gBKX5ybZ #AAPIHeritage #AAPIMonth

Congressman John Lewis was a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. The Lambda Sigma Chapter, in Atlanta, recently celebrated their 100th year of service. At this milestone event, they established the John R. Lewis Good Trouble Social Action Award and presented the inaugural award to The John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation for our work in promoting John and Lillian Miles Lewis’ legacy, focusing on democracy and voting, youth civic engagement and building bridges. As Robert L Eason, the Lambda Sigma Chapter Centennial President explained it, the Lewises “spent their lifetimes marching for justice, fairness, inclusion and respect for the dignity and worth of every human being.”  He added, “[Our chapter is] proud to share the same values and aspirations.” Our CEO Detria Austin Everson and JLMLF Board Secretary Stephen L. McDaniel, CFRE, a member of Lambda Sigma chapter, accepted the award on behalf of the foundation. Founding Board Member Lyn Vaughn was also in attendance. Detria implored members to continue to work with the foundation to encourage youth civic, amplify voices of rising generations and to carry on the good trouble necessary to make our community more loving, peaceful and just. Kudos to Dr. William Scott for his work chairing the event. Jonathan Martin and Faith Jessie from 11Alive did a great job emceeing the gala. John Robert and Lillian Miles Lewis belonged to a fraternity and sorority in the famed group of African American organizations nicknamed the “Divine Nine.” Mrs. Lewis was a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., founded in 1914, was near and dear to Congressman Lewis’ heart and the two-hundred-thousand-plus members of the 700 chapters of the international brotherhood are extremely proud to have had John Robert Lewis as a member.  Thanks, as always, to our Board Members: Michael E. Collins (Chair); Stephen L. McDaniel, CFRE (Secretary); J Veronica Biggins; Sherry Frank; Helene Gayle; Fred Humphries; Tharon Johnson and Rodney Slater. #pbs1914 #pbsls100 #lambdasigmacentennial #pbslambdasigma #GeorgiaSigmas

For #EarthDay, here is a clip of Congressman John Lewis speaking at a hearing of the Committee on Ways and Means May 15, 2019. “Climate change is one of the most urgent matters of our generation. 27 years ago, I was proud to champion the Environmental Justice Act with then-Senator Al Gore. “I believed then what I know to be true today: Clean air and clean water are rights, not privileges. We have a right to know what is in the food we eat, what is in the water we drink, and what is in the air we breathe.” “Each and every one of us must cherish this planet, for it is likely the only home we will ever know.” Click here to watch his full remarks on YouTube, “Rep. John Lewis on Harmful Effects of Climate Change” https://lnkd.in/eF9TFp6E #earthday #earthday2024 #environment #cleanair #cleanwater