By NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent Stacy M. Brown/New York Amsterdam News
House leaders joined forces with the U.S. Postal Service to reveal a commemorative stamp paying tribute to the late Rep. John Lewis on Wednesday.
The unveiling occurred during a special event held at Capitol Hill.
An original member of the Freedom Riders, Lewis played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement, enduring brutal violence when Alabama state troopers fractured his skull during the infamous “Bloody Sunday” incident in Selma in 1965.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Linda Earley Chastang, Lewis’ former chief of staff, were the prominent figures present.
‘Good Trouble’
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, addressing the gathering, announced that the official dedication ceremony for the John Lewis Forever stamp is scheduled for July 21 at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
DeJoy shared plans to rename Atlanta’s main post office in honor of the late congressman, acknowledging Lewis’ immeasurable contributions to the nation.
“Our nation certainly benefited from his fearlessness and his unfailing willingness to get into good trouble,” DeJoy stated.
‘I Got Goosebumps’
McCarthy, a Republican from California, acknowledged the power of Lewis’ words and how they transcended party lines.
“I may be in a different party; I may have different views, but I’m an American,” McCarthy asserted. “I got goosebumps and tears thinking how far we had come and thinking that John Lewis led the march on that bridge and led the introduction that day.”
Conscience of Congress
Jeffries, the Democratic Representative from New York, expressed his belief that the stamp would forever symbolize Lewis’ significant contributions and serve as a tribute to his unwavering dedication as the conscience of Congress.
He called Lewis one of the country’s greatest sons and deemed it fitting for such an influential figure to be recognized with a Forever stamp.
Read the full story here: https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2023/06/22/stamp-honoring-late-rep-john-lewis-unveiled-in-official-ceremony-at-capitol-hill/
