US 'Black Civil Rights Activist' Congressman John Lewis Passes Away (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Major foreign media reported that John Lewis, a Democratic congressman who led the Black civil rights movement in the United States in the 1960s, passed away on the 17th (local time). He was 80 years old.

Congressman Lewis was one of the "six prominent activists" who led the Black civil rights movement in the 1960s alongside Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Lewis took the lead in opposing the "Jim Crow laws" that mandated segregation of Blacks and Whites in schools, buses, and restaurants. He participated in the founding of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a student activist organization. He also staged sit-ins in front of restaurants that prohibited Black people from entering. Additionally, he led the Selma march in Alabama in 1965.

Influenced by Indian independence activist Mahatma Gandhi, Lewis emphasized the spirit of "nonviolent resistance." In his memoir, he said, "Even if someone insults you to your face, spits on you, or burns you with a cigarette, the other person can also be a victim," and added, "We must forgive."

Later, Lewis entered politics as a city council member of Atlanta, Georgia, in 1981. After being elected to the Georgia State House of Representatives in 1986, he worked for over 20 years to represent the socially disadvantaged. In 2006, he served as the Democratic House Majority Whip. He also received the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, from President Barack Obama in 2011. Lewis revealed in December last year that he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.