March

Posted by Debby Yoder, DECATUR, GA -- Two days after commemorating the 50^th Anniversary of the March on Washington, Congressman John Lewis gave the keynote address at the Decatur Book Festival. He was there to introduce the first installment of his comic book trilogy March, a firsthand account of his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, co-authored with Andrew Aydin. Ironically, as a young man, Lewis was inspired by a comic book called The Montgomery Story that detailed the Montgomery bus boycott and provided instructions on practicing non-violence to effect social change. The Montgomery Star inspired peaceful protests, including the sit-ins at Woolworth’s and other lunch counters in 1960-61, as well as later protests in South Africa to stop Apartheid. In 2008, it was translated into Arabic and Farsi and is credited with influencing the demonstrations in Egypt’s Tahrir Square.

John Lewis has spent his life creating change most deemed impossible, and getting into “good trouble” along the way.

Debby Yoder is a regular contributor to Social Shutter as well as a Sociology major at Georgia State University. She can be contacted at debby.yoder@gmail.com.