Rep. Adams Remembers “Bloody Sunday” and Honors John Lewis with Speech on House Floor
From Selma to the House of Representatives, John wasn’t afraid to put everything on the line for what he believed in.
Washington, D.C. – Last night, Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) honored the late Congressman and modern-day founding father, John Lewis, on the floor of the United States House of Representatives during a special order hour commemorating the "Bloody Sunday" march in Selma, Alabama 56 years ago. Adams joined other members of the Congressional Black Caucus for the event, many of whom wore "Good Trouble" masks in honor of Lewis.
Video of Adams' speech is available on YouTube and for download.
Adams' remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
Today I rise to honor my colleague and friend, and a hero to us all, John Lewis, and to mark the anniversary of the Bloody Sunday March.
When our country was founded almost 250 years ago, African Americans were denied full access and participation in society.
And we've been fighting to rectify those wrongs ever since.
Among the most important, influential agents of this mission was John Lewis, the "conscience of Congress" and the mastermind of "good trouble."
A courageous, compassionate man who gave everything – including his blood and his body – to the Civil Rights Movement.
From Selma to the House of Representatives, John wasn't afraid to put everything on the line for what he believed in.
56 years ago, he marched so people who looked like me could be full participants in our society.
56 years later, we are still fighting to be seen, heard, and counted in our democracy – a democracy we helped build.
For centuries, this country has made promises to marginalized communities that have gone unmet – promises of freedom, of equality, and of access to opportunity.
In my home state, discriminatory voter regulations plague our past and our present.
Most recently, we've experienced a decade of voter suppression laws that target minority voters ‘with surgical precision,' and illegally gerrymandered maps that have thrown our elections into chaos.
Voting in North Carolina has never been treated as it should be – as a fundamental right for all citizens.
The For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act will address this by cleaning up corruption in Washington and returning us to a government of, by, and for the people.
H.R. 1 will protect and expand voting rights, restore integrity to government, and put the priorities of the American people ahead of special interests.
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act provides the tools to address discriminatory election practices and protect all Americans' right to vote.
These important bills are critical first steps towards healing our democracy.
I will not allow voter suppression to continue to be the norm in North Carolina or in our nation.
That's why we must honor the legacy of our friend by passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and sending both of these bills to the President's desk.
Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph. D. represents North Carolina's 12th Congressional District (Charlotte, Mecklenburg County). In 2015, she founded the first bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus in Congress. She is a double graduate of North Carolina A&T, the largest HBCU by enrollment in the United States.