WATCH LIVE: Civil rights icon John Lewis lauded as hero at Georgia Capitol — July 29, 2020
John Lewis was lauded as a warrior and a hero during a ceremony Wednesday at the Georgia Capitol, where the civil rights icon who represented much of Atlanta in Congress will lie in repose before a funeral service.
WATCH: Funeral service for the late John Lewis in Georgia
John Lewis was celebrated as an American hero during his funeral as former President Barack Obama and others called on people to follow Lewis' example and fight injustice.
Trump on his own again as he skips farewell to John Lewis
“No, I won’t be going,” Trump told reporters when asked whether he planned to pay his respects to Lewis, the first Black lawmaker to lie in state in the Rotunda.
WATCH: Rep. John Lewis lies in state at the U.S. Capitol — Tuesday, July 28
Lewis was born to sharecroppers during Jim Crow segregation and was beaten by Alabama state troopers during the civil rights movement. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom by the nation's first Black president in 2011.
Lewis' family has asked members of the public not to travel from across the country to pay their respects. Instead, they suggested people pay virtual tribute online using the hashtags #BelovedCommunity or #HumanDignity.
Singer, songwriter, activist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Joan Baez is this year's recipient of the Woody Guthrie Prize, an award that recognizes artists who speak out for the less fortunate.
“Our hero, our colleague, our brother, our friend received and answered his final summons from God almighty,” said Rep. Sanford Bishop, the dean of the Georgia delegation.
Of all the ways that John Lewis influenced American life and politics, his indelible impact on young people may be among the most enduring. From student activist to elder statesman, Lewis continually encouraged the nation’s youth to start “good trouble”…
As the nation mourns the loss of American hero and Civil Rights icon Rep. John Lewis, his friends and colleagues remember him as a towering figure who was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and equality. Special Correspondent…
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