The Genealogy of a Civil Rights Legend
I first “met” John Lewis in March, 1965. I was sitting in our living room, watching the nightly news with my mother and father. We were horrified: young black men and women were being beaten as they tried to cross a structure called “Pettus Bridge.” One of the leaders—and it turned out to be a young man named John Lewis—had been severely beaten. I marveled at his courage, and that of his fellow marchers. I wondered if I could ever summon that much courage to face police brutality in the name of a larger principle—the right of our people to vote. My own parents, and their parents and grandparents, had seemingly always had the right to vote in our little community in the hills of eastern West Virginia. My classmates and I were truly puzzled; what was this voting all about? Only later we would understand that the ballot, and the right to own property, were two fundamental principles upon which the American Republic was founded. Without one or the other, a person was doomed to second class status in relation to her or his fellow citizens. John Lewis knew that, and he risked his life to see that all black people would have the right to vote. 21 years later in 1986 he would be elected to represent Georgia’s 5th district in Atlanta, as their United States Congressman. “Only in America,” as Don King likes to say.
Civil Rights Leader John Lewis
Congressman Lewis is the last of the “Big Six” leaders of the Civil Rights Movement which was headed by his hero, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. During our interview, he told me how they had met: as a teenager he wrote Dr. King a letter, and Dr. King responded by sending him a Greyhound bus ticket to visit him in Montgomery. I remember John’s speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the great March on Washington as if it were yesterday.
John Lewis is a hero to me, and being able to give him the gift of meeting his ancestors was a special honor.
I don’t want to give away any of the many surprises that we were able to share with the Congressman. I can, however, say that we have never had a guest in any of our series who was more grateful and moved by each genealogical detail. One particularly astonishing fact moved John to tears. So overcome with emotion, he lowered his head onto his “Book of Life,” and wept for the agony, the triumph, the will and the sacrifices of our slave ancestors. And I wept for him, and our ancestors, as well.
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March 26, 2012 at 11:09 am
This program is wonderful–best series on geneology ever!
March 26, 2012 at 12:44 pm
Last night, I has the opportunity to watch the FYR episode that included Mayor Cory Booker and Congressman John Lewis. It was simply moving to see how moved the two gentlemen were when you presented them with such powerful information. I still cant believe Congressman Lewis’ ancestor were registered voters, and one of the most important aspects of Lewis’ role in the civil rights movement was “the power to vote”. Amazing! A wise man once said that there are no coincidences. I am so curious to learn about my ancestors now more than ever. Thanks Mr. Gates!!! I will continue to watch!!!!
March 26, 2012 at 3:08 pm
This was an extremely moving chapter in your series, Mr. Gates. I find myself, time and again when watching your show seeing the lines of race ever more blurred and realizing that most Americans have a very diverse history. My hope for the future is that these two great men and their work takes root. I also thank you, Mr. Gates, for a wonderful show!
March 27, 2012 at 5:21 pm
This series is very enlightening….the information supplied opens up many questions about the south, slavery and the relationships some owners had with their slaves. I was very touched when Mr Lewis teared up…
Keep it up….this is a great way for our children to learn our countries history.
March 27, 2012 at 10:56 pm
I washed and taped both shows on 26 March 2012. What an enjoyment and I hope they continue having a show once a week and I hope this show never stops. Believe me, there is plenty of people to continue with. What a treat a long with “Who Do You Think You Are” I could watch anything to do with Genealogy, every night. Might not be my family, or even where my family was, but you will always learn something. Well done, fascinating and I would like to thank everyone that sponsors this show and pray you will continue.
March 28, 2012 at 12:55 am
This is the best program – it tells real stories. This is real reality TV that has deep meaning. His story was unbelievable. Thank you PBS for investing in this. Thank you to all the producers who care enough in spite of revenue pressures and viewership. I was deeply moved and just had to tell you how much this shows has impacted me.
March 28, 2012 at 3:38 am
I was incredibly touched by Congressman John Lewis’s and Mayor Cory Booker’s revelations about their ancestry. I was particularly moved and found myself crying along with Congressman John Lewis as he learned that his great, great grandparents, now freed slaves, had not only made their marrriage legal, as soon as they were afforded the opportunity, but also registered to vote, along with buying and selling land. It was like watching the completion of a circle.
Like so many other viewers, Mr. Gates, I too am curious about my own ancestry, that has been kept a secret, especially on my father’s side. I hope I will have the opportunity to find out more about my ancestors, thanks to your program.
I love watching your show and listening and watching your guests reaction as they learn about their sometimes diverse ancestry. Your show reaffirms, as you stated, that we are all in the same boat!
Thank you Mr. Gates and your staff for their hard work in presenting such an interesting and moving program! I’m hooked.
Would you please tell me, and other viewers, how we can begin finding out about our ancestors? My parents took any their secrets to their graves. All I have is my mother’s birth certificate! It was a mixed marriage.
March 28, 2012 at 12:03 pm
What a wonderful and enduring testament to Congressman Lewis’ family history of true American heroes. It takes courage to register to vote back during Reconstruction. I was born in the 1970s and was SHOCKED regarding the brutality of the selma to montgomery footage that was filmed in 1965!!! Forgive my ignorance but I didn’t realize this took place less than 50 yrs ago. I was appalled and am glad we have come far
March 28, 2012 at 2:13 pm
I feel that Congress member Lewis was also weeping with joy when he found out his ancestor cast a vote so soon after the passage of the 15th amendment
March 28, 2012 at 11:34 pm
I DVR two of the shows that aired at the end of March. I am inspired, sadden, and intrigued all at the same time. I am a huge history person. I found your show to be very detailed and organize and the extend as to which you research the history of these individuals was wonderful. I would love to be apart of your team to learn and share my gift of research that I have. This particular history is near and dear to my heart. I don’t know my real father or his family and it hurts my heart to have a entire lineage of my family tree missing not only for myself but my children as well. No one could ever understand how it hurts not to know who you are and where you come from.
March 31, 2012 at 5:37 pm
I have watched both new segments twice as they mean so much in all our history. Your use of paper cuts to present and explain, the original documents, the video footage, the old photos help my visual learning. I missed seeing the Marsalis pie chart of ethnicity which during second viewing I wrote down his percentages …. Thanks for such attention to detail and for giving us such wonderful histories.
The most awesome moment was finding John Lewis’ ancestor Tobias voted 100 years before he or his family could. How’s that for genealogy!
April 1, 2012 at 10:04 pm
My mother has traced our family history back 8 generations to Saluda, Newberry, Greenwood Counties SC. She published her findings of the first 3 generations in a self-published book, Sankofa”. It is my retirement project to organize her papers and continue her work with her story. I watched and cried on both segments Congressman Lewis and Mayor Booker. I said to self I have to re-watch this with Mom and record her reflections. Well, we were both crying with Mayor Booker’s father and Congressman Lewis. She exclaimed “Lord Have Mercy” when “her people” were mowed down on the Selma Bridge. Next we will take the literacy test. Thanks so much for this work.
April 1, 2012 at 10:04 pm
I again am enlightened and energized by your amazing series! Congressman Lewis is one of my personal heroes and it was fantastic to discover his great family history. The segment with Mayer Booker was equally informative. These stories and the data you and your team have found should be part of our American history that everyone should know, and that there is never an “us or them” but just an “us”. Thank you again, Mr. Gates. I am eagerly awaiting more!!
April 3, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Mr. Gates, thanks for helping find the humanity in all of us. This is important work. PJ
April 6, 2012 at 1:56 pm
Congressman Lewis you rode on the bus knowing your life was in danger and did not shed a tear. You sat by the counter knowing your life was in danger amd did not shed a tear. You marched across the bridge in peace and were assulted and did not shed a tear. To know a 100 yrs ago your great grandfather voted you did cry but you did not cry alone. Thank you Congressman Lewis one of our modern day heroes
April 8, 2012 at 11:13 pm
I love this show & its history. I wish I could trace my heritage but am adopted with no information except hospital where I was born. Do you have any suggestions for me. I’m late in the game since I’m 68. This has always been a problem for me to know myself. I would give anything to be one of these people who you explore.
April 11, 2012 at 9:18 am
I just had a chance to view the program about Mayor Booker and Congressman Lewis on my local PBS station in North Carolina. The emotion they felt when they were provided with a true family history was very moving, and has inspired me to put more effort into finding the history of my and my wife’s family. I come from workingclass immigrants and my wife from freed slaves with very interesting ‘recent’ histories.
My one criticism of the program is thst it did not mention the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC, Snick) at all. When I knew John Lewis, he was the chairman for SNCC and was in that position when he spoke at the March on Washington in 1963, as well as a representative for that organization at the Selma march. Working with SNCC changed my life and I wonder why it was not even mentioned on the program. (Was it because of it’s move to Black Power later?) And yet, I find FYR a great program.
April 21, 2012 at 7:45 am
The focus of Henry Louis Gates is too much on connecting black folks with white folks, rather than connecting us blacks with our black ancestors. And while that part is not to be totally overlooked, myself and others of whom I know aren’t just hung up and all that excited about knowing the white thieves, rapists and murderers that may be connected to our black past. Is this the kind of thinking that pssesses the mind of Dr. Gates?
April 24, 2012 at 1:02 am
Professor Gates. Thank you for showcasing these stories to link them to subjects essential to our American experience of a nation of diversity. I do not know if you will read this but I believe you are the one to lead a future program on those who have risked reputation, safety etc. to save those of a different ethnic group, religion etc. than them; those otherwise known as the “righteous.”
April 26, 2012 at 1:26 pm
As one who found out about my family in my 20s, which lit a fire in my mind for digging around in documents, I welcome whoever I find that I am related to.
It is sad to see that people still see themselves and others as better or worse, depending on the color of their skin.
April 29, 2012 at 1:00 am
I have never commented on a blog before, but I feel compelled in this case. I happen to catch my first episode of this show this past week. It made we want more. I sat down today to watch the previous episodes online. This episode with Cory Booker and John Lewis was the last one I watched. I have to say it was the BEST one also. I shamefully admit that I have never heard of John Lewis. Watching this show moved me so much. It moved me to tears and then even more tears seeing how emotional John Lewis became. I can only imagine how proud he felt finding out the all information about Tobias and Elizabeth. I am proud of Congressman John Lewis for his courageous fight for equallity of all US citizens. The footage and pictures with Dr. Martin Luther King and John Lewis at his side was incredible. This show has made me want to know more about Mr. Lewis and his accomplishments. Thank you to both Corey Booker and John Lewis for sharing your family history with us.
June 17, 2012 at 12:50 am
This has to be the best series I’ve ever watched! Thank you for all the great stories and solved mysteries. Each and every culture was equally fascinating. I’ve always wanted to research into my family history…especially my father’s side. Now, I’ll give it a try!
July 2, 2012 at 5:20 am
Beautiful! I wept with him. I have just recently discovered your show. Amazing! I am moved. I have in the last 6 months, prompted by my newly married daughter, started to learn my own history. She mentiond your show and how inspirational it is.
I married a man from Alabama, myself being from a small mining town in Upper Michigan. I never knew what horrible things happend here. It saddens me deeply. I am ashamed for my ancesters. Thank You for showing me this side of our nations history. I truley belive that if we don’t accept the past and deal with it that we will surley repeat it. Bless you and your work.