My mother and father and many of my relatives had been sharecroppers. John Lewis fathermotherrelative Change image and share on social
My parents told me in the very beginning as a young child when I raised the question about segregation and racial discrimination, they told me not to get in the way, not to get in trouble, not to make any noise. John Lewis beginchilddiscrimination share on social
I say to people today, 'You must be prepared if you believe in something. If you believe in something, you have to go for it. As individuals, we may not live to see the end.' John Lewis endindividuallive Change image and share on social
The government, both state and federal, has a duty to be reasonable and accommodating. John Lewis accommodatedutyfederal Change image and share on social
If someone had told me in 1963 that one day I would be in Congress, I would have said, 'You're crazy. You don't know what you're talking about.' John Lewis congresscrazyday Change image and share on social
If you're not hopeful and optimistic, then you just give up. You have to take the long hard look and just believe that if you're consistent, you will succeed. John Lewis consistentgivehard Change image and share on social
When I was a student, I studied philosophy and religion. I talked about being patient. Some people say I was too hopeful, too optimistic, but you have to be optimistic just in keeping with the philosophy of non-violence. John Lewis hopefulkeepoptimistic share on social
When I was 15 years old and in the tenth grade, I heard of Martin Luther King, Jr. Three years later, when I was 18, I met Dr. King and we became friends. Two years after that I became very involved in the civil rights movement. I was in college at that time. As I got more and more involved, I saw politics as a means of bringing about change. John Lewis bringchangecivil share on social