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Rep. John Lewis is the last living speaker from the March on Washington, the 1963 landmark civil rights protest that culminated with Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
But before Lewis dedicated his life to fighting for racial equality, he grew up in Troy, Ala., with dreams of becoming a different kind of orator.
“When I was very young, I wanted to preach the gospel,” Lewis said on a visit to StoryCorps in February 2018.
He wanted to be a minister. His nearest congregation was the family livestock.
“With the help of my brothers and sisters and cousins, we would gather all of our chickens in the chicken yard, and I would start preaching to the chickens. They never quite said ‘Amen.’ ”
But in school, he had a mentor who would eventually open up his career in civil rights. “I had one teacher who’d tell me over and over again, she would say, 'Read my child, read.’ ”
He followed her wisdom. “I tried to read everything,” he said.
His parents couldn’t afford a subscription to the local newspaper, Lewis said, “But my grandfather had one and when he was finished reading his newspaper each day, he would pass it on to us to read.”
Somewhere in those papers, magazines and school books, 15-year-old Lewis came across the name Rosa Parks, the activist famous for sparking the bus boycott in Montgomery, Ala.
“The action of Rosa Parks and the words of Dr. King inspired me,” the congressman recalled. “And I kept saying to myself, 'If something can happen like this in Montgomery, why can’t we change Troy?’ ”
Rep. John Lewis’ Fight For Civil Rights Began With A Letter To Martin Luther King Jr.
Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
On this day ~ August 28, 1963
Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his “I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
“ I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today”
GUESS WHO’S CLASSES ARE CANCELLED DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER?!
Verse of the Day - while y'all are looking at this, reflect on the life of Martin Luther King Jr. and his work 👍🏾✨️
