In a world in the midst of change, today’s Black People Magic is in Tribute to those who have led us in thepeek into the past... and who still give us inspiration on how to commit to the long road to justice.
Yesterday, we lost a two veteran of the civil rights movement, Congressman John Lewis and Reverend C.T. Vivian. Both men worked most of their lives to achieve social justice and equity for Black people.
John Lewis was called the "Conscience of Congress" as a longtime U.S. Representative from Georgia. He passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 80 on Friday. He was one of the original 13 Freedom Riders and was also on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where police cracked his skull on the day that came to be known as Bloody Sunday. He received the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 2011 from President Obama.
Reverend C.T. Vivian passed away at the age of 95 yesterday in his Atlanta home of natural causes. Reverend Vivian has connections to Illinois… he spent his childhood in Macomb and organized sit-ins in Peoria in the 1940s. He began working with Dr. King shortly after the Montgomery Bus Boycott and continued his work through the rest of his life. Reverend Vivian received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama in 2013.
Congressman Lewis said of the Black Lives Matter Movement, "This feels and looks so different... so much more massive and all inclusive. There will be no turning back." And he also called his work for justice the "struggle of a lifetime" and advised us to "...never be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble."
Let’s use the examples of these lifelong commitments to advocate for equality and justice to inspire us even more as we try to achieve more of that today.
& Remember to always celebrate your magic! xo