The Time I Met John Lewis
A remembrance of John Lewis.
Welcome to New Jersey Insight, a periodic newsletter to make law and politics (through a New Jersey lens) more accessible.
Six years ago today, John Lewis died at the age of 80. He had led his life with purpose. From a young seminary student in Tennessee spreading the word of God to a foot soldier fighting on the front lines against oppression, and ultimately a congressman serving the people of Georgia, John Lewis gave every ounce of his soul in service to others.
A lot has been written and said about him. Former President Barack Obama’s eulogy for John Lewis is one for the ages. But today, I wish to share my own memory of him. Though my encounter with him was brief, the moment stayed with me.
It was a Tuesday in September 2013. The day was sunny and comfortable. It also happened to be Constitution Day. I skipped work that morning because I was lucky enough to snag an invitation to attend a private breakfast headlined by Congressman John Lewis at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. The breakfast, though, turned into a late-morning reception because, per the organizers, Congressman Lewis had important business in Washington, D.C.
Most of my memory of the reception is a blur. But I recall my time with Congressman Lewis quite well. Gracious and unassuming, Congressman Lewis introduced himself (though he certainly needed no introduction) to the few of us gathered. He asked us probing questions about our lives. When I shared my work, including my many civic activities and voting rights work, he listened to me intently and nodded with approval. We also chatted about his recently published graphic novel, March, which chronicled his life combatting injustice. He emphasized the imperative of engaging in “good trouble” and implored us not to give up the fight.
At the end of our conversation, and after the obligatory photo (see above), Congressman Lewis handed me his business card and encouraged me to contact his office if he could ever be of support.
Imagine. An icon and legend of the civil rights movement. A leader who, through the sheer force of his will and presence, challenged the evils of Jim Crow. A confidant of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He offered to help me, a nobody.
To this day, I carry his business card whenever I travel. A sort of talisman to bring confidence and inspiration when I feel their absence. And a reminder that whatever challenges I may face pale in comparison to what Congressman Lewis faced.
That moment with Congressman Lewis had a deep effect on me. At the time, I was a mid-career attorney practicing at a boutique corporate law firm after a several-year stint in public service. While I was satisfied overall at the firm, my career trajectory—and my life generally—felt uncertain. Congressman Lewis reminded me of the value of service, and he forced me to realize what I knew deep down: that I would find purpose whenever I immersed myself in civic life.
So I made a fateful shift the following year. I decided to leave private practice and return to public service. And the rest, as they say, is history. Today, my office in Washington, DC, is around the corner (literally) on what had been the Black Lives Matter Plaza, the location where Congressman Lewis made his final public appearance in June 2020 before his passing.
May the memory of Congressman Lewis be a blessing to the Nation. May his memory remind us that the “country is a constant work in progress” and that each of us has specific “instructions to form a more perfect union.”