Of course, he was gifted. He saw obviously that the disparity that governed his world was not correct. Reading this book has given me hope and has renewed my resolve to keep working. The secrets of non-violence to overcome the illusions of superiority and false righteousness. This ignorance comes from the thought that the world differs for different races. When Lewis shielded his head with a hand, the trooper hit Lewis again as he tried to get up. Published in 1993, it is narrated by Sylvie Castelli, who remembers a time when she went on a walk with her mother near the Parisian Place de la Concorde. I would take that a step further and say that every voting individual should read this book. Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change John Lewis. What legacy do you want to leave behind?, But we must accept one central truth and responsibility as participants in a democracy: Freedom is not a state; it is an act. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The late US Rep. John Robert Lewis made his final journey on Sunday across the famous bridge in Selma, Alabama, where the towering civil rights figure helped lead a march for voting rights. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Yet, even fifty years later, it is rare to find anyone who would use the word love to describe what we did. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. This is the reason he committed his life to this battle. The book also covers the 1963 bombing of an African American church in Birmingham, Alabama, in which three young girls. Lewis is no pie-in-the-sky hippie. Eventually, in activist societies, lots of stress is placed on determined, strong movements, such as protests. To register, they needed to be tested whether they can read and write. Today, the bridge that served as the backdrop to Bloody Sunday still bears the name of a white supremacist, but now it is a symbolic civil rights landmark. Networks for Social Change: Life on the Edge. Four days later, they reached Montgomery with the crowd growing to 25,000 by the time they reached the capitol steps. It can even lead to the dimming of the light of all humanity born on this planet. I hope that these words of Congressman Lewis, plus the introductory quotes for each chapter will whet your appetite for the whole book. The MLK Graphic Novel That Inspired John Lewis and Generations of Civil Rights Activists, https://www.history.com/news/selma-bloody-sunday-attack-civil-rights-movement, How Selmas ‘Bloody Sunday Became a Turning Point in the Civil Rights Movement. Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooksif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'goodbooksummary_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_20',119,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-goodbooksummary_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); https://goodbooksummary.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Across+That+Bridge+by+John+Lewis+Book+Summary+-+Review.pdf, https://goodbooksummary.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Across+That+Bridge+by+John+Lewis+Book+Summary+-+Review.epub, I'm a software engineer. All of the actions, his and ours, save the strength of light on this world. However, he gifted all the money for the civil rights cause.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'goodbooksummary_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_16',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-goodbooksummary_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); With this altruistic gift, King highlighted the movements fundamental message of inclusion and love for everybody. But when law became suppressive and tyrannical, when human law violated divine principles, we felt it was not only our right, but our duty to disobey. 9 Superb. Nearly a century after the Confederacys guns fell silent, the racial legacies of slavery and Reconstruction continued to reverberate loudly throughout Alabama in 1965. I like to play soccer too :) Good Reads Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/106467014-sava-ate, Mindsight by Daniel Siegel [Book Summary - Review]. John Robert Lewis was the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 5th congressional district, serving since 1987 and was the dean of the Georgia congressional delegation. I found myself agreeing on much of what Rep. Lewis wrote, and I so want many others to read his vision for how to make our future better. Why must we, as members of the human family, immerse ourselves in the agency of turmoil and unrest to affect the evolution of humankind? One thing I enjoyed in the book was all of the small biographical details about leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. It would be detrimental to your safety to continue this march, Major John Cloud called out from his bullhorn. As I hope to pursue a career in politics and/or the legal system, I can see myself coming back to this book many times throughout my life. Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society., Darkness cannot overcome darkness, only light can do that. He and the other activists planned on marching to the state capitol as a protest against voter discrimination. In Across That Bridge, Congressman John Lewis draws from his experience as a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement to offer timeless wisdom, poignant recollections, and powerful principles for anyone interested in challenging injustices and inspiring real change toward a freer, more peaceful society. This country was founded on the ideal that we are all created equal. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Williams and Lewis stood their ground at the front of the line. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. Like the DL I get that feeling of peace reading Lewis's words, and wonder what it would have been like to be around MLK Jr. and the others that Lewis mentions as being his inspirations and teachers. This mighty wind made a fundamental shift in the moral character of our nation that has reached every sector of our society. Civil rights activists transformed the ongoing unjust situations for African Americans in the strongest country of the world in just 12 years. The insight portrayed, and depiction that, "education is the most important tool to institute this change" was amplified during Lewis's marches with Rev. I so highly recommend this book. Winner of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work/Biography. READ MORE:When Did African Americans Get the Right to Vote? similar to the Dalai Lama, here is a man I would be interested in just being in his presence as he goes about daily activities and meetings, just to witness interactions with others. Becoming aware of the truth requires action, and that is when the struggle begins., Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America, Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change. Democracy is not a state. A helpful and/or enlightening book that stands out by at least one aspect, e.g. Just like John Lewis and his counterparts inspired from the previous battles, activists in current times can take the civil rights movement as a template to influence the conditions in their world favorably. It is not . I believe the true destiny of humankind is to recollect that it is light and to learn how to abide in infinite awareness of the divine in all matters of human affairs, Love is the willingness to sacrifice, to be beaten, to go to jail, to be killed for the betterment of society rather than live out your life in silence. The book outlines a process for peaceful protest. The irony in "Across the Bridge" is expressed through the personal observations of the narrator, who knows more than the other characters, thus providing the reader with an informed point of. As he writes, "All of our work, all our struggle, all our days add up to one purpose: to reconcile ourselves to the truth, and finally accept once and for all that we are one people, one family, the human family, that we are all emanations of one divine source and that source is Love.". The police tell them to turn around and they choose to kneel instead. Speaking from his own experiences in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, Lewis provides guidance for the activists of today and tomorrow. They are then assaulted and have tear gas thrown at them. While the rating tells you how good a book is according to our two core criteria, it says nothing about its particular defining features. Through our inaction it becomes stronger, and a more potent force. You're welcome to be part of the conversation. This is the strongest testament of Lewis for the strength of love in the face of brutal hate. While at times he comes off as overly optimistic about the future of America and the potentialities of people throughout the world, he lived a life that confirms what he says, and he earned that optimism. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Lewis later testified in court that he was knocked to the ground and a state trooper then hit him in the head with a nightstick. In 1961, South buses were separated according to race although there is a Supreme Court decision that disallows this. But we did not believe this social contract included support for an immoral system. This section depicts the events of "Bloody Sunday," one of the most famous civil rights march of the movement. How can we come to the point where we malign and hate one another?, Governments and corporations do not live. Lewis was an active participant and in the process was violently attacked. The demonstrators marched undisturbed through downtown Selma, where the ghosts of the past constantly permeated the present. It takes courage to admit that we participate in killing, violence, and hate around the world. It is unlikely that what you hope to accomplish is new. Follow Chris on Twitter @historyauthor. Cambridge historian Clark (Iron Kingdom) untangles the, The lumber industry, abetted by the government, reaped massive profits while ravaging Californias redwood forests, according to journalist Kings damning debut. From Page 164, "Perhaps the variations in appearance and expression that seem to occupy so much of our concern--tall, short, black, brown, straight hair or curly, white or yellow, fat or slender, gay or straight--are more an expression of the broad imagination of the Creator than they are an indication of our value or worth.". With an engaged electorate once again confronting questions of social inequality, there's no better time to revisit Congressman Lewis' book is comprised of three essays on faith, patience, and peace. However, these gloomy times are only initial points for better things. Anyone in these movements has embarked on the responsibility to eliminate the vigors of discrimination and demolition by utilizing their inherent light. When we were getting arrested and waiting in jail or standing in unmovable lines on the courthouse steps, we didnt know what would happen, but we knew it had to happen. On March 7, 1965, when then-25-year-old activist John Lewisled over 600 marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama and faced brutal attacks by oncoming state troopers, footage of the violence collectively shocked the nation and galvanized the fight against racial injustice. The way to reach the truth is not only studying academically. We help you to meet your learning objectives. Across That Bridge - John Lewis Select the sections that are relevant to you. A self-help book for activists, specifically focusing on the values necessary to make change. According to Lewis, this is named faith. The book was meant to be inspiring, and it very much is inspiring. This right was not readily available for John Lewis. For beginners Youll find this to be a good primer if youre a learner with little or no prior experience/knowledge. A beautiful book. What we say here about books applies to all formats we cover. John Lewis is an amazing human being, a true leader & has an unbelievable outlook on life today in America & the world which I find even more incredible because of the things he has lived through & endured. I can't imagine that you wouldn't get a sense of that presence and quiet charisma, just being around them. eNotes.com, Inc. 2004 eNotes.com 29 Mar. Thus, he committed his life to get to know the reasons for his world to be in this way. Often an instant classic and must-read for everyone. The events in Selma galvanized public opinion and mobilized Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act, which President Johnson signed into law on August 6, 1965. Welcome back. 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