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John Lewis to receive the Elie Wiesel Award on May 4 in Washington

By Shelia Poole
March 14, 2016

U.S. Rep. John Lewis will receive the Elie Wiesel Award on May 4 in Washington, D.C.

The award is the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s highest honor and will be given to Lewis during the organization’s National Tribute Dinner at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park.

It is named in honor of its inaugural recipient, Nobel Peace Laureate and Museum Founding Chairman Elie Wiesel.

http://youtu.be/Bu5wLvEMaJc

The civil rights veteran is being recognized for his “extraordinary moral and physical courage during those defining moments and his lifelong commitment to promoting the human dignity of all people”.

Lewis was involved in the Freedom Rides through the South, lunch counter sit-ins, the Selma-to-Montgomery March and the 1963 March on Washington.

Previous recipients include Lieutenant-General Romeo Dallaire ; Władysław Bartoszewski , as a representative of all rescuers during the Holocaust; the veterans of World War II; and Aung San Suu Kyi .

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About the Author

Shelia has worked at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for more than 30 years. Previously, she worked at The Lexington Herald-Leader and The Louisville Defender. Her beat is a bit of a mixed bag that includes religion and spirituality, culture and trends, race and aging. She earned degrees from Spelman College and Northwestern University.

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