The Leadership Conference Statement on the Passing of Congressman John Lewis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shin Inouye, [email protected], 202.869.0398

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the passing of Congressman John Lewis, a past recipient of the civil and human rights coalition’s highest honor, the Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award:

“It is not enough to say that John Lewis devoted his life to public service, because he did so much more than that. John Lewis made his life a living testimony to this nation’s highest ideals and morals. Though he began this work at such a young age, he never left the battlefield for justice, equality, and morality. The civil and human rights community joins the nation in mourning the loss of this American hero.

“John Lewis was never satisfied with an America that did not keep faith with its promises. He refused to accept a country that did not live up to its highest moral values. And he rejected the idea that America could not be better — particularly toward those so often left behind in our society. His life was a living vigil for what it means to remain a steady soldier in the march for equality. Whether in the area of voting rights or systemic racism, or anywhere in which injustice remains, we honor his legacy by continuing his fight for a democracy that works for all of us.

“John Lewis leaves behind a legacy that transcends what he did on the bridge that Bloody Sunday. His legacy is a challenge to all of us who claim to love freedom. His challenge compels us to hold this nation and ourselves accountable for how we treat each other. It defies us to make America keep its promise of opportunity and fairness to everyone. And finally, his legacy dares us to make ‘good trouble’ in the pursuit of liberty and justice for all.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.