John Lewis in Be the Change, by Michelle Nunn

On Civil Rights: Got in the way of 1950s discrimination

When I was growing up, it was my goal to become a minister. I went to school and studied religion and philosophy. I thought it was a calling, but Dr. King and Rosa Parks came along, and I moved in a different direction.

I asked my mother and father during the 1940s and 1950s about segregation and discrimination. They said, "That's the way it is. Don't get in the way." Now I tell people, "I got in the way. I got in trouble. You need to get in the way."

Source: Be the Change, by Michelle Nunn, p. 6 Nov 1, 2006

On Government Reform: 1977: Oversaw 250,000 volunteers at ACTION agency

In 1977, Congressman John Lewis was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to direct more than 250,000 volunteers of ACTION, the federal volunteer agency. He has since been the recipient of numerous awards, including the preservation Hero Award given by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Martin Luther King Jr. Non-Violent Peace Prize, the President's Medal of Georgetown University, the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for lifetime achievement, and the National Education Association Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award. The Timberland Company has established the John Lewis Award, which honors humanitarian service, and has established a John Lewis Scholarship Fund. Source: Be the Change, by Michelle Nunn, p. 7 Nov 1, 2006

The above quotations are from Be the Change! Change the World. Change Yourself by Hundreds of Heads & Michelle Nunn. Click here for other excerpts from Be the Change! Change the World. Change Yourself by Hundreds of Heads & Michelle Nunn. Click here for other excerpts by John Lewis. Click here for a profile of John Lewis.
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