Rep. Adams Remembers John Lewis on the House Floor
"John was not only a leader of the Civil Rights Movement; he was a modern day Founding Father."
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Alma S. Adams (NC-12) spoke on the floor of the United States House of Representatives Thursday morning in honor of the late Rep. John Lewis (1940-2020).
"It was an amazing privilege to serve in Congress with John Lewis," said Congresswoman Adams. "John was not only a leader of the Civil Rights Movement; he was a modern day Founding Father. Because while the Founders assured us that 'all men are created equal,' it was the sweat and blood and sacrifice of people like Congressman John Robert Lewis that made that assurance true, that made our nation more perfect, and made our form of government turn towards justice."
A link to video of the speech is available here.
Rep. Adams' full remarks are below:
Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of our colleague, my friend John Lewis.
Everything John Lewis did was in the service of Justice.
A courageous, compassionate man who gave everything - including his blood and his body - to the Civil Rights Movement.
From the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma to the floor of the House of Representatives,
John was never afraid to put everything on the line for what he believed in.
John was many things: a fighter.
A leader.
One of the "Big Six."
An HBCU graduate.
A good troublemaker.
He was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom and over fifty honorary degrees, from Portland State University in Oregon to Bates College in Maine.
And yet, he was always humble.
Many have called him a hero, or a living legend; but most of us here just knew him as John, our friend.
It was an amazing privilege to serve in Congress with John Lewis.
John was not only a leader of the Civil Rights Movement; he was a modern day Founding Father.
Because while the Founders assured us that "all men are created equal,
It was the sweat and blood and sacrifice of people like Congressman John Robert Lewis
that made that assurance true,
that made our nation more perfect,
and made our form of government turn towards justice.
My prayers are with his family and every seeker of justice who mourns him today.
John Robert Lewis earned the respect of men, women and little children and he made our community, nation and our world much better than he found it.
Thank you, Brother Lewis.
God Bless you John; Rest in Peace.
I yield back.
Congresswoman Alma Adams represents North Carolina's 12th Congressional District (Charlotte) and serves as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture. Additionally, she serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Education & Labor Committee, where she serves as Chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee. In 2019, she co-founded the Black Maternal Health Caucus with Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14).