John Lewis, US congressman and civil rights icon, is dead

John Lewis, US congressman and renowned human rights activist, is dead.

He clocked 80 on February 21, 2020.

Nancy Pelosi, US speaker, who confirmed Lewis’ death in a statement on Friday, described him as “a titan of the civil rights movement whose goodness, faith and bravery transformed our nation”.

“Every day of John Lewis’s life was dedicated to bringing freedom and justice to all. As he declared 57 years ago during the March on Washington, standing in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial: ‘Our minds, souls, and hearts cannot rest until freedom and justice exist for all the people,'” the statement read.

“How fitting it is that even in the last weeks of his battle with cancer, John summoned the strength to visit the peaceful protests where the newest generation of Americans had poured into the streets to take up the unfinished work of racial justice. His visit with Mayor Bowser, the Mayor of Washington, painted an iconic picture of justice.”

“In the Congress, John Lewis was revered and beloved on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol. All of us were humbled to call Congressman Lewis a colleague, and are heartbroken by his passing. May his memory be an inspiration that moves us all to, in the face of injustice, make ‘good trouble, necessary trouble.’”

One of his most recent activities saw him oppose the visa changes earlier announced by the US for international students.

According to the policy which was announced in early July, students with F-1 and M-1 visas, whose classes are moved online in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, would be stripped of their visas and required to leave the US.

He had addressed a letter to Chad Wolf, acting US homeland security secretary, to express his reservations about the policy.

“The Department’s policy changes threaten the ability of students on F-1 and M-1 visas to continue their education at their current institutions,” he wrote.

“As many universities plan for online or hybrid learning this fall, this needlessly punitive proposal puts international students at risk of illness or deportation if they continue their education in the United States.

“The result could deter these individuals from pursuing studies in this country and will inevitably result in additional financial and travel challenges if institutions’ operating statuses change mid-term.”

The policy has now been revoked.

During his growing-up years and until his death, he was actively involved in the fight for human rights, especially for blacks and other disadvantaged persons.

He organised demonstrations, volunteered in initiatives that challenged segregation, and was assaulted and arrested more than 40 times.

Among other positions, he served on the Atlanta City Council and was elected to congress in November 1986.

He was also a writer and received more than 50 awards in his lifetime.