WASHINGTON -- Sitting on the carpet of the House chamber may have been a new experience for U.S. Rep. John Lewis, but last week's protest for gun control legislation that upended Capitol Hill for 26 hours and led to a new form of civil disobedience through social media represented a return to the Atlanta Democrat's roots.

The revolt on the House floor began in much the same way as many of the 76-year-old's protests did during the civil right era: quietly, resolutely and in the face of long odds.

The similarities were not unnoticed by Lewis.

“Sitting there on the floor, I felt like I was reliving my life all over again,” he said. “During the ’60s the sit-ins started with three or four people, and they spread like wildfire. This will spread.”

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Braves first baseman Matt Olson (left) is greeted by Ronald Acuña Jr. after batting during the MLB Home Run Derby as part of the All-Star Game festivities on Monday, July 14, 2025, at Truist Park in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)

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