Illinois State Senate District 5 issued the following announcement on July 21.
A great civil rights leader and U.S. Representative John Lewis passed away. State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) released the following statement, remembering his life and legacy:
“John Lewis was a great man who overcame so many things. As the son of sharecroppers born in the Jim Crow South, he defied all the expectations set for him. He was an inspiration to so many across skin colors and across generations.
“He was committed to justice, believing if you see something that isn’t fair, you must speak up. Though we have come a long way since he was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge for our right to vote, there is still much injustice to speak out against. There is still a long way to go in this fight for justice, and we will finish what Rep. Lewis and so many others started.
“Despite his passing, his legacy lives on in all of us. Because of his sacrifice, we can live in a better America, and we will honor his legacy with our persistence in this fight for equality – whether it’s protesting in the streets, at the ballot box, or through our role as legislators. Change won’t come overnight, but it will come.”
Original source can be found here.
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