Ethel Kennedy Remembers Civil Rights Icon John Lewis in a Letter Read by Her Grandson
Funeral plans for John Lewis are still being worked out amid the coronavirus pandemic, but this morning, Joe Kennedy III, Bobby Kennedy's grandson and the Representative for Massachusetts's 4th congressional district, paid tribute to his fellow Congressman, the civil rights icon who passed away earlier this month.
"I rise with a heavy heart this morning to remember our colleague, John Lewis," Kennedy said, before sharing a bit about his family's relationship with Lewis and reading a letter from his grandmother, Ethel Kennedy, on the House floor.
"John had a long and special relationship with my family, with my grandmother in particular," Kennedy said. "They went through a lot together, they survived a lot, they witnessed a lot. She asked me to read a letter here today in his memory."
Watch Kennedy read the letter in the video below, then find a full transcript of his grandmother's words.
A letter from Ethel Kennedy for John Lewis. pic.twitter.com/05qtDEBMSv
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) July 23, 2020
Dear friends,
Our hearts are heavy, but also grateful for the gift of John Lewis, a man who devoted his life to making gentle the life of this world. John's loving demeanor enveloped a mighty determination and passion for justice, equality, and the realization of his dream for the beloved community.
A young man full of fire and ideals, qualities that he never lost, he was a trusted voice to my husband, Robert Kennedy. Relied upon first as a student demonstrator, and later as a campaign aid. Activist, lawmaker, champion, he was also a teacher and a cherished friend. He and Bobby learned from one another. They listened, they understood, they acted.
As a Freedom Rider, John was badly beaten at a bus stop in Montgomery, Alabama in 1961. From the basement of the First Baptist Church where John, Martin Luther King Jr., and Ralph Abernathy sought refuge, they called Bobby asking for protection from a crowd of armed white supremacists surrounding the church. President Kennedy sent in the National Guard.
In Indianapolis, the night we lost Dr. King, John influenced Bobby's decision to ignore Mayor Lugar's plea to cancel the rally, instead, seeking to comfort and seeking comfort from a devastated crowd of Black supporters. As the youngest speaker in the March on Washington, his was a clarion call to end racial segregation and discrimination in the United States. Over a half a century later, as unrest over systemic violence against Black Americans gripped our nation in recent weeks, John reinforced what he knew was true.
'You cannot stop the call of history,' the Congressman said. 'You many use troopers, you may use fire hoses and water, but it cannot be stopped. There cannot be any turning back. We have come too far. We've made too much progress to stop now and go back.'
John was witness to our nation's history. He shaped it, and his legacy will forever be a part of that history. When I think of John and Bobby, I am reminded of Stephen Spender's poem The Truly Great.
'Those who in their lives fought for life, who wore at their hearts the fire's centre. Born of the sun, they travelled a short while toward the sun, and left the vivid air signed with their honor.'
Sincerely,
Ethel Kennedy.
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