John Lewis

John Robert Lewis February 21 1940 July 17 2020 was an American civil rights leader and politician He was a member of the Democratic Party and was the US Representative for Georgias 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death He was also the dean of the Georgia congressional delegation The district he served includes the northern threefourths of Atlanta Lewis who as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee SNCC was one of the Big Six leaders of groups who organized the 1963 March on Washington played many key roles in the civil rights movement and its actions to end legalized racial segregation in the United States He became a leader of the Democratic Party in the US House of Representatives serving from 1991 as a Chief Deputy Whip and from 2003 as Senior Chief Deputy Whip He received many honorary degrees and awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom