Today, the world honored John Lewis as he was memorialized at Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.
Dignitaries, family and former constituents took part in the service that began at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Here’s more on the confirmed appearances and speakers who were present during Thursday’s service.
Several close friends and colleagues spoke about their favorite memories and lessons learned. Some of those speakers included Bernice King, an activist and Martin Luther King Jr.‘s daughter, civil rights pioneer and Atlantan Xernona Clayton, James Lawson, an activist, and his niece Sheila Lewis O’Brien.
Former President Barack Obama: ‘John Lewis will be the founding father of that fuller, better America'
Obama, who looked to Lewis as a hero, delivered the eulogy of Lewis, who died earlier this month at age 80. Thursday he spoke about the man whose “faith was tested again and again.” Wearing a dark suit and a lapel pin featuring a portrait of John Lewis, Obama gave a concise review of Lewis’ life. He talked about his humble upbringing of being “po'” and his momentous entry into civil rights as one of the first of the Freedom Fighters.
He spoke about his amazement that Lewis challenged “an entire infrastructure of oppression” at the same age of his own daughter, Malia.
At one point, Obama’s eulogy took a turn to the current political climate and the challenges some have faced to cast ballots with polling locations closing and attempting to cast their votes with COVID-19 in play.
“We may no longer have to guess the number of jelly beans in a jarin order to cast a ballot but even as we sit here there are those in power who are doing their darndest to discourage people from voting by closing polling locations and targeting minorities and students with restrictive ID laws and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision...
I know this is a celebration of John's Life so there are some who say we shouldn't dwell on these things, but that's why I'm talking about it. "
Obama went on to say that Lewis fought and “shed blood” for those very matters.
The former president has said that he and Lewis met when was a student at Harvard School of Law, according to a statement released by Obama released a statement.
“Years later, when I was elected a U.S. Senator, I told him that I stood on his shoulders,” he wrote. “When I was elected President of the United States, I hugged him on the inauguration stand before I was sworn in and told him I was only there because of the sacrifices he made. And through all those years, he never stopped providing wisdom and encouragement to me and Michelle and our family. We will miss him dearly.”
Former President Bill Clinton
The former president spoke at Thursday’s service in Atlanta. Lewis served more than 30 years in Congress, working closely with with the 42nd president. The Clintons remember him as a loyal friend and a man who for many years was “the nation’s conscience” in Congress.
He was the first former president to speak at the service Thursday morning. He gave some lengthy comments during the service about his close friend.
“I just love him. I always will. And I’m so grateful that he stayed true to form. He’s gone up yonder and left us with marching orders. I’d suggest ... we salute, suit up, and march on.”
Former President George W. Bush
Bush, one of the three living presidents in attendance, said after Lewis’ death that he was a courageous leader who worked to make “our country a more perfect union.”
“As a young man marching for equality in Selma, Alabama, John answered brutal violence with courageous hope. And throughout his career as a civil rights leader and public servant, he worked to make our country a more perfect union. America can best honor John’s memory by continuing his journey toward liberty and justice for all.”
He was the first former president to speak.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Pelosi was present earlier this week at the Washington memorial service for the revered congressman. According to CBS News, she will once again speak about her longtime colleague and friend. During the ceremony, she gave mourners an image of Lewis in his final days compared to the man who survived the brutal beating as he marched on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.
“Between then and now, John Lewis became a titan of the Civil Rights Movement and then, the Conscience of the U.S. Congress. Here in Congress, John was revered and beloved on both sides of the aisle, on both sides of the Capitol. We knew that he always worked on the side of the angels – and now, we know that he is with them. And we are comforted to know that he is with his beloved Lillian.”
Pelosi brought tears and laughter as she spoke about Lewis fearlessness and mischievous ways in Congress. She shared a previously unknown tidbit about Lewis lying in state in the U.S. Capitol’s rotunda Monday. She shared with the funeral goers Thursday that Lewis, who greatly admired Former President Abraham Lincoln, lied on the same wood platform where Lincolns body lied in 1865.
“We come with a flag flown over the Capitol the night that John passed. When this flag flew there, it said goodbye. It waved goodbye to John. Our friend, our mentor, our colleague. This beautiful man that we all had the privilege of serving with.”
Here’s the rundown of Lewis’ service.
Credit: Via AJC
Credit: Via AJC
The service ended shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday.
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