WASHINGTON, DC — As the nation mourns the Friday, July 17, 2020, passing of civil rights legend Congressman John Lewis, Advancement Project National Office offers the following statement.
“Like today’s young protesters, Congressman Lewis, put his life on the line to make a better America. The good trouble he committed to led to the Voting Rights Act and brought us closer to equal justice,” said Judith Browne Dianis, Executive Director of Advancement Project National Office. “He was the conscience of Congress and the protector of voting rights. We mourn the loss of the Congressman who had an incredible spirit and sense of humor, and inspired us all to never give up but keep fighting for what is right.”
Rep. Lewis, former Freedom Rider and speaker during the 1963 March on Washington, championed work led by Advancement Project National Office’s Power and Democracy including most recently the December 2019 passage of HR4, a voting rights package aimed at restoring protections including requiring public notice for voting registration changes and providing federal observers to polls throughout the U.S.
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