Civil Rights Icon And Political Giant, Congressman John Lewis Died July 16. Known As “The conscience of the U.S. Congress,” He Never Stopped Fighting The “Good” Fight and Getting Into “Good” Trouble.

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks

Our hearts are heavy as our nation mourns the loss of a true hero, Congressman John Lewis. He devoted his life to fighting for justice, equality, and opportunity for every person in our nation, inspiring generations of activists to have the courage and join him in that fight.

Prince George’s County Council Chair Todd Turner

The Prince George’s County Council joins with our residents, the nation, and the world, in mourning the immeasurable loss of the Honorable John Lewis, a revered champion of civil rights and passionate fighter for social justice.

The Council extends its condolences to the family and loved ones of Congressman Lewis; the City of Atlanta and his constituents; the congressional colleagues and staff who served with him; and those who fought alongside him on the front lines of this nation’s historic movement for racial and social justice.

Congressman Lewis left us a legacy marked by his strong courage and deep commitment to humanity, inspiring all to continue the work for justice and equality.

District 7 County Council Member Rodney C. Streeter

We mourn the loss of iconic Congressman John Lewis, a civil rights leader who was often referred to as the conscience of the Congress. His work is legendary as he was a courageous and outspoken leader who marshaled major human rights legislation and forced America to retrospectively and prospectively reexamine its moral dilemma. He inspired a Nation. We are forever indebted to his many contributions to the fabric of our society.

John Lewis wuth Motown founder Berry Gordy at the opening of “SELMA” IN 2014

As we celebrate the life and times of Congressman John Lewis and exult his many acts of courage, let us also remember his personal sacrifice as a leader. The lonely times he spent pondering the ironies of a system designed to falter the aspirations of Black people. Navigating statutes and court decisions that reinforce philosophies that contradict America’s promise of equal opportunity, full participation while constructing strategies often ambiguous to those who would be helped most. These are lonely times for a leader as he makes tough decisions imbrued by forces resistant to change. Courage is not only found in challenging the system but making the choices the system allows and advancing the progress that can be found. The road to freedom is slow but must be steady and the sacrifice must be understood. It is only then that we can unite our effort appropriately against the evolving nature of racism.

Congressman Lewis would encourage us to take the November General Election very seriously whatever way we have to cast our vote. He fought Voter suppression for nearly his entire life. In his honor, we should reach for the highest voter turnout this County has seen to date. Vote! Vote!, Vote!. That is what he would do and that is what we must do.

Prince George’s County Council At-Large Member Mel Franklin

When I was growing up, John Lewis was like a real-life superhero to me. A man who faced down oppression and systemic racism in its purest form and did so while still incredibly young, suffering a cracked skull and much more, but still marching for freedom and equality at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s side. One of the original Freedom Riders and founders of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Congressman Lewis marched on Washington before most in my generation were even born. He was and is a legend without qualification. A humble and determined servant leader, Congressman John Lewis has passed away after a bout with pancreatic cancer. No one can step into the void left by his passing. His legacy is far too big for that. What we can do is pick up the mantle of leadership that he has carried and continue to do as he and Dr. King did, bend the arc of the moral universe towards justice. God bless Congressman John Lewis.

House Majority Leader Congressman Steny Hoyer--

There is a hole in the heart of America today. We, and the world, have lost a paragon of faith: in God, in his country, and in humankind – we were all his brothers and sisters. God is welcoming home one of his greatest disciples of love, and peace, and forgiveness, and reconciliation, and of hope, and of unlimited courage born of conviction and faith.

America has lost a towering moral figure, and I have lost a dear friend. John Lewis lived his life with purpose and in service to others, as close to a Christ-like figure as I have ever known. He was a beloved colleague and legislator, a trusted representative to his constituents in Georgia, and a man of integrity and good nature who strove to instill those qualities in others. I cannot properly express the profound sadness and grief of this moment in learning that he no longer marches alongside us. Now, he has joined his beloved wife Lillian, and my thoughts today are with their son John-Miles, the entire Lewis family, and his beloved and long-serving right-hand man, Michael Collins.

As a young man, John saw injustice and chose to risk his life to fight it. Alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and spoke out against inequality, racism, and poverty. He organized his fellow students in Freedom Rides to register voters and bring hope and solidarity to African-American communities living under Jim Crow.

In Selma, John ‘walked with the wind’ and nearly lost his life on ‘Bloody Sunday’ in order to help secure passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. I have walked hand-in-hand with John over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma to commemorate that day. It will never be the same experience without him leading us with the solemnity and joyfulness of a prophet.

In Congress, I have watched him over our thirty-three years together as colleagues become a master of the House, a deft legislator who worked to secure the victories of the Civil Rights Movement by strengthening the laws passed in the 1960’s and 1970’s and building on them today. John was a champion of a progressive vision for our country, working hard to secure policies that lift Americans out of poverty, prevent deadly gun violence, ensure access to affordable health care for all, enable more Americans to reach for opportunities, and leave our children and grandchildren a healthier planet. I will never forget working closely with John to oppose the genocide in Darfur and to promote peace in Sudan and South Sudan. John fought for peace at home and around the world throughout his life.

In his later years, John served as a bridge to the Civil Rights Movement for millions of young Americans who were not alive during that time. Those who march for racial justice and to forge a more perfect union in the twenty-first century have looked to John Lewis for leadership and inspiration. While too many of his brothers and sisters who led the Civil Rights Movement did not live to see the election of America’s first African-American president, John walked arm-in-arm with President Obama at the fiftieth anniversary of the Selma march in 2015. While Dr. King did not, as he had prophesied, make it to the Promised Land, John Lewis made it over that mountaintop to help lead our people farther on. Now, at peace and with the God in whom he always kept faith, John beckons us from our horizon’s next mountaintop, giving us hope and strength. John, we will keep our eye on the prize of a more beloved community and with your inspiration, ‘march on until victory is won.’