John Lewis, the late Georgia congressman and monumental figure of the civil rights movement, was honored this weekend in multiple ceremonies across Alabama, the state where he was born, and where his body has now passed a final time over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma.
His symbolic crossing over the rose-petaled span Sunday in a horse-drawn carriage was peaceful and solemn, and a stark contrast from 55 years ago when state troopers attacked Lewis and hundreds of other non-violent marchers with billy clubs and tear gas as they tried to cross the bridge for the right to vote.
Lewis nearly died from his injuries.
The brutal scene, which came to be known as Bloody Sunday, was televised and sparked national outrage ― but more importantly, the pivotal moment changed popular opinion of the time, much like George Floyd’s death has sparked increased calls for social change today.
On Sunday, Alabama state troopers joined the nation in saluting Lewis, and the outpouring of tributes on social media stretched far and wide. Many of those voices continued to call for the renewal of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
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