[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 100 (Tuesday, July 15, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1425-E1426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             IN HONOR OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS OF GEORGIA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 15, 1997

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize my 
friend and colleague, the Honorable John Lewis of Georgia. During his 
tenure in the House of Representatives, he has distinguished himself as 
a man of highest integrity and commitment to improving human relations 
in our country.
  His accomplishments in the area of civil rights are as remarkable as 
they are numerous. Congressman Lewis' concern with spreading awareness 
of the civil rights movement and its importance in contemporary society 
is reflected in his desire to educate not only those who reside in his 
district, but outside of his district as well. This desire clearly 
manifested itself in 1989, when at the request of a parent concerned 
with the fact that her daughter's predominantly white eighth grade 
class did not possess an understanding of the enormity of the civil 
rights movement, he traveled to Shawnee Mission, KS, to speak about his 
firsthand experience.
  Over 200 eighth grade students sat mesmerized as Congressman Lewis 
delivered an emotionally charged speech which included his involvement 
with sit-ins at segregated lunch counters, the Student Non-Violent 
Coordinating Committee which he chaired, and his participation 
and subsequent beating during the freedom rides. His modesty would have 
prevented the students from knowing that he was one of the ``big six'' 
in the civil rights movement, had it not been for the research they had 
conducted on their own prior to his arrival. Congressman Lewis conveyed 
the importance of commitment to a cause, and relayed his extraordinary 
experiences while maintaining a demeanor marked with humility. Two 
years later, he returned to the school in Shawnee Mission as he once 
again embraced the opportunity to tell his story in an attempt to 
educate and enlighten a small group of our Nation's younger generation. 
The selflessness he exhibited in traveling a thousand miles from his 
district, motivated solely by a desire to educate and share, is unique 
in a world where many individuals succumb to monetary or press related 
incentives.

  This anecdote is but one of many instances where Congressman Lewis 
has exhibited his unchallenged commitment to civil rights in the United 
States. Born in 1940 to a sharecropper in Alabama, he was the first in 
his family to finish high school. At 18, he met Martin Luther King and 
by 19, had already become a force in the civil rights movement through 
activities such as organizing the first lunch counter sit-in. He 
actively participated in the 1961 freedom rides, the 1963 March on 
Washington, and the coordination of the Mississippi Freedom Project. He 
led the Selma to Montgomery March for voting rights in 1965, and was 
attacked by policemen in his quest for equal rights for all. His strong 
participation in these events eventually led to the passage of the 
Voting Rights Act of 1965.
  On Friday, June 27, Congressman Lewis hosted a luncheon for senior 
citizens residing in the high-rises of his district. His goal was to 
provide them with an opportunity to interact with their representative 
in a fun, relaxed environment. This annual event has grown from a 
gathering of 250 senior citizens to a community event of over 900. 
Funded entirely through private donations, Congressman Lewis has been 
able to sustain this event for 7 years.
  Congressman John Lewis is a shining example of how one individual can 
persevere in

[[Page E1426]]

the fact of extreme adversity. His commitment to all individuals, young 
and old, is a testament to his impeccable character.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in commending 
Congressman John Lewis. His accomplishments speak for themselves, yet 
his humility surpasses all he has done for his district, his country, 
and the rights of all Americans. It is with a great sense of pride that 
I refer to Congressman John Lewis as a colleague and friend.

                          ____________________