Illinois NOW

ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN & GIRLS

Donate
Join NOW
Renew Membership
Menu
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Legal and Education Fund
  • Issues
  • Get Involved
  • Legislation
  • News
  • Political Action Committee PAC
  • Events
  • Chapters
  • Join us! Become a member of NOW!
  • Embed Link
Menu

NOW Celebrates the Life of John Lewis — And We Pledge to Honor His Legacy

Posted on 2020-07-18 by admin

Released on July 18, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At Congressman John Lewis’s last appearance in Selma, Alabama to commemorate the historic 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge—where state troopers launched a vicious attack on peaceful demonstrators that left him with a fractured skull,–– he returned to a message that he advocated for throughout his life, the power of the right to vote. 

Already diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer, John Lewis looked back on that day and said, “We were beaten, we were tear-gassed.  I thought I was going to die on this bridge.  But somehow and some way, God almighty helped me here.” 

“I’m not going to give up.  I’m not going to give in…We must go out and vote like we’ve never, ever voted before.  We must use the vote as a nonviolent instrument or tool to redeem the soul of America.” 

As we enter an election season where voter suppression is increasingly used as a tool of white supremacy, bigotry, and prejudice, we draw inspiration from John Lewis’s life, and motivation from his tireless faith in the power of the people to defeat injustice. This November we will mobilize and vote as our lives depend on it, making “good trouble.” 

NOW joins the call for the Edmund Pettus Bridge to be renamed in honor of John Lewis, and we also call on Congress to govern under the guidance of his principles and his example.  

Our activists are dedicated to following in his footsteps – making sure we continue to advocate against racial injustice. We will work for a “real” civil rights act that goes beyond necessary police and law enforcement reforms and makes reparations that lead to racial and economic justice by supporting schools, job opportunities, access to housing and health care and so much more.  

The legacy of John Lewis will never be forgotten – may he rest in power.  

Contact: Press Team, press@now.org,

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advocating for Women and Girls

DONATE
Join NOW
Renew Your NOW Membership


Subscribe to stay updated on the latest IL NOW news and events!

Loading

Get Involved

Attend an Event
Become an Illinois NOW Member


Categories

  • Action Alerts
  • Conference
  • Constitutional Equality
  • Core Issues
  • Economic Justice
  • Education
  • Ending Violence Against Women
  • Federal Legislation
  • IL NOW Heroes
  • Legislation
  • NOW National News
  • PAC
  • Racial Justice
  • Reproductive Rights and Justice
  • State Legislation
  • Uncategorized
  • Virtual
  • Voting Rights

Illinois NOW

The purpose of Illinois NOW is to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now.

Learn more about us.

Contact Us

Mailing Address
Illinois NOW
PO Box 474
Springfield, IL 62705

Phone
217-331-2923

E-Mail
nowillinois@gmail.com

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
©2023 Illinois NOW | Theme by SuperbThemes