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. However, these gloomy times are only initial points for better things. Background Youll get contextual knowledge as a frame for informed action or analysis. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Boston Globe, The New York Times, and National Geographic Traveler. I so highly recommend this book. As Henry Thoreau strongly believed, to comply with an unjust system is to accept abuse. Perhaps no place was Jim Crows grip tighter than in Dallas County, Alabama, where African Americans made up more than half of the population, yet accounted for just 2 percent of registered voters. Editor's Note: Douglas Brinkley is author of "Rosa Parks" (2000) and wrote the foreword to John Lewis' "Across . Often an instant classic and must-read for everyone. 5 Solid. The insight portrayed, and depiction that, "education is the most important tool to institute this change" was amplified during Lewis's marches with Rev. Their guns were absolute love and readiness to devote themselves to a better society. And he used the award so that others in purpose could utilize it. The passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 months earlier had done little in some parts of the state to ensure African Americans of the basic right to vote. Make sure you do well in school, pursue a degree, and work your way up the ladder of business to a comfortable life. Brief Summary of Book: Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America by John Lewis. The book outlines a process for peaceful protest. Take a long, hard look down the road you will have to travel once you have made a commitment to work for change. We were consciously aware that unity was our ultimate goal, and if that was truly our aim, we had come to grips with the fact that after all the warring was done, reconciliation, love, and forgiveness would have the final say.. A group of 600 people, including activists John . An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. According to Lewis, this is named faith. Nearly 50 million Americans who had tuned into the films long-awaited television premiere couldnt escape the historical echoes of Nazi storm troopers in the scenes of the rampaging state troopers. Helpful Youll take-away practical advice that will help you get better at what you do. He called to say sorry. 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. Stay up-to-date with emerging trends in less time. It is not just in some of us; its in everyone. However, he also formed his persona knowingly. He bears witness to the ways in which these practices came together in the Civil Rights Movement, and particularly in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, to create a context where the movement was modeling the kind of world it was striving to create. Choose confrontation wisely, but when it is your time don't be afraid to stand up, speak up, and speak out against injustice. But that doesnt mean you stop doing the right thing. Error rating book. In Across That Bridge, Congressman Lewis draws from his experience as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement to offer timeless guidance to anyone seeking to live virtuously and transform the world. This march will not continue., Mr. We will hear less. And they waited silently as a line at the Registrars Office of Selma for two years. What that legacy will be is determined by the people of that generation. A beautiful book. Each chapter/essay dealt with a theme of peaceful resistance via a particular concept: love, peace, unity, etc. Also, Congressman Lewis writes about his experience of being beaten, and his incarceration. Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America John Lewis 4.32 5,760 ratings491 reviews Although it has been decades since the historic social upheavals of the 1960s, Americans continue to look to the Civil Rights Movement as the apotheosis of political expression. I have taught this for years, and it was good to hear that I've been on the right track, but the depth and nuance of his explanation deepened my understanding considerably. 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. They are recalling or recognizing that we are one. A very uplifting book. Donate . I highly recommend it for all. In Across That Bridge, Congressman Lewis draws from his experience as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement to offer timeless guidance to anyone seeking to live virtuously and transform the world. He also argues strongly against war as counterproductive in a way that seemed naive and simplistic. [] Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge. I struggle with the current political situation, increasing prejudice and decreased concern for the retired, middle class and those who need help with addiction, housing, adequate nutrition and medical care. Winner of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work/Biography. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that therell be any fruit. 9 Superb. 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. They are given life and derive all their authority from their ability to assist, benefit, and transform the lives of the people they touch. It was a strong commitment to demonstrating the truth: equality of humans is an unnegotiable right. People believe she was a legend because she rejected handing over her place on the bus to a white person. We will see less. A helpful and/or enlightening book that stands out by at least one aspect, e.g. At getAbstract, we summarize books* that help people understand the world and make it better. It passed through the resistance of the South and caused directly the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the most influential law passed by Congress in 50 years.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'goodbooksummary_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_12',111,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-goodbooksummary_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); The civil rights movement was a challenge for the legal rights of African Americans. Truly an incredible experience reading this book. Courageous, hopeful and inspiring civil rights leader John Lewis is one of my heroes. (Thanks Laura!) Select the sections that are relevant to you. Weeks earlier, King had scolded Life magazine photographer Flip Schulke for trying to assist protestors knocked to the ground by authorities instead of snapping away. Though our hearts are broken, LOVE and compassion will help us heal and move forward. Welcome back. We strive for accuracy and fairness. All Quotes contains uncommonly novel ideas and presents them in an engaging manner. READ MORE: The MLK Graphic Novel That Inspired John Lewis and Generations of Civil Rights Activists. Lots of white people from the South could fight for continuing discrimination. These are perhaps the most powerful, for Lewis's generosity of spirit and commitment to justice shine through brightly, illuminating the possibilities of what it means to be fully human in our world and resist brutality and oppression. This may sound contrary to common-sense. It is thought provoking and an excellent summary of the most basic principles of non-violence. The secrets of non-violence to overcome the illusions of superiority and false righteousness. Brief insights into common methods of analysis, backed up by historical details, help the reader gain an understanding of the history of She was stating that she had a strength that nobody under no circumstance, even if it is confinement or imprisonment, can clear it off. It takes courage to admit that we participate in killing, violence, and hate around the world. They managed to clear the intrinsic load of hate in white Southerners as well.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'goodbooksummary_com-leader-3','ezslot_18',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-goodbooksummary_com-leader-3-0'); 40 years later of the attack in Rock Hill, Lewis is surprisingly called by someone. You may never know what results come from your action. And coming as it does from a civil rights hero like John Lewis, this is important information for our own time. It's a smaller book, broken up into sections on foundational lessons from Lewis's life, like "Faith," "Patience," "Peace," and "Love." Williams and Lewis stood their ground at the front of the line. Every shock was further evidence that our racially fallacious society could not put out the fire for the freedom it felt. 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. He learned what his people were going through. It can be utilized in your own personal life to change your individual condition, and it can be used as a lifeline of spiritual strength to change a nation., The only reason unjust systems exist is that the masses of people silently give their consent and believe these systems are necessarywhether for their security or survival., It is the responsibility, yet the individual choice, of each of us to use the light we have to dispel the work of darkness, because if we do not, then the power of falsehood rises., There was a time when politicians needed to be great orators because the people themselves were grappling with the challenges of conscience, trying to perceive what is right and what is wrong. But today, not only do we miss the eloquence of public speaking, but the moral compass of so many leaders seems to be skewed., There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting. BUDDHA, Without patience, we will learn less in life. You must do something. It was in another millennium, another decade, and at another time in our history, but it pushed through America like a storm. Civil rights activists transformed the ongoing unjust situations for African Americans in the strongest country of the world in just 12 years. Lewis was an active participant and in the process was violently attacked. This fact was excellently demonstrated with the effort for equality in voting in the civil rights movement. He and his peers were soldiers of peace during the civil rights movement. The tenets in this book can help us achieve our dreams. The part of the book I liked best was Lewis's thorough explanation of the philosophy of the non-violent movement. Yes, it is particularly applicable in activism. Faith, patience, truth, love, peace, study, and reconciliation: these are the buckets into which Lewis pours his message about the inner transformation that must be realized to effect lasting social change. A civil rights pioneer and Georgia congressman, Lewis (Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of a Movement) seeks to inspire nonviolent activism in a time that he regards as the most violent in history. Furthermore, with exciting examples from his exceptional life, you will learn the fundamentals of all real activists. Although Wallace ordered state troopers to use whatever measures are necessary to prevent a march, approximately 600 voting rights advocates set out from the Brown Chapel AME Church on Sunday, March 7. The triumph of truth. We can talk about ending war and we can march for ending war, we can do everything in our power, but war is never going to end as long as our hearts are hardened against each other. Pema Chdrn, Love: We are all bound by the ties of love Even as there is cohesive force in blind matter so much must there be in all things animate and the name for that cohesive force among animate beings is Love. Mohandas Gandhi, Reconciliation: This little light of mine, Im going to let it shine. Harry Dixon Loes, Your email address will not be published. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? He did not get angry at the racism, it attracted his attention. The late John Lewis offers his thoughts on social activism in this short book. How can we come to the point where we malign and hate one another?, Governments and corporations do not live. When Lewis shielded his head with a hand, the trooper hit Lewis again as he tried to get up. Each one reflects on these major lessons, providing both an inspiring introduction to a particular aspect of nonviolence and short anecdotes from Lewis's own life. You cannot tarnish the truth. That is why we struggle. This effort, in conclusion, brought the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Innovative You can expect some truly fresh ideas and insights on brand-new products or trends. 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. Moreover to all these, when Black people started to come for registration during the civil rights movement, the Registrars Office just shut down to prohibit this. Look at Lewis fellow and counterpart Rosa Parks. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won. And once you face the truth, it is difficult to retreat back into a state of unconsciousness. In 1961, South buses were separated according to race although there is a Supreme Court decision that disallows this. 11:07:45 MS. DIANE REHM Congressman Lewis joins me in the studio. They are then assaulted and have tear gas thrown at them. You cannot erase the truth. With vivid details and a front-row perspective, Lewis, who died July 18, 2020, provides more than a memoir about the early civil rights movement and its leaders. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. March: Book by John Lewis The first in the trilogy, this graphic novel based on the life of John Lewis, opens with a group of African Americans marching across a bridge. For instance, it may offer decent advice in some areas while being repetitive or unremarkable in others. Cite this page as follows: "Across the Bridge - Summary" Comprehensive Guide to Short Stories, Critical Edition Ed. 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. The soldiers and the annoyed group were not intended to allow protestors to pass through, with their firearms, tear gas, and batons. Summary (from Goodreads): "Although it has been decades since the historic social upheavals of the 1960s, Americans continue to look to the Civil Rights Movement as the apotheosis of political expression. Although it has been decades since the historic social upheavals of the 1960s, Americans continue to look to the Civil Rights Movement as the apotheosis of political expression. SNCC leader John Lewis (light coat, center), attempts to ward off the blow as a burly state trooper swings his club at Lewis' head during the attempted march from Selma to Montgomery on March 7, 1965.  State troopers watch as marchers cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge over the Alabama River in Selma, Alabama as part of a civil rights march on March 9, 1965. 8 Very good. As the child of sharecroppers,the late Congressman John Lewis helped his parents grow corn, peanuts and cotton. Charles E. May. 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. Go home or go to your church. King could use this money to establish a safe and sound living outside the hazardous South. Why? I just re-read this book for a class I'm teaching this semester on the history, philosophy, and practice of nonviolence. Why risk beating, torture, even death to sacrifice ourselves within the network of our family, on our jobs, in our communities, the nation, or the world at large for the sake of progress we may not live to see? Release all bitterness. For many people, that review would be helpful, but since I teach US history, a lot of that information was not new to me. You have to do the right thing. The book also covers the 1963 bombing of an African American church in Birmingham, Alabama, in which three young girls. At its worst, it resembles an extended campaign speech: Some people have told me that I am a rare bird in the blue sky of dreamers despite every attempt to keep me down, I have not been shaken. In between these extremes is the advice of a wise uncle who has earned the right to say his peace. It is the foundation of all things. For experts Youll get the higher-level knowledge/instructions you need as an expert. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Across That Bridge is worth reading for most Americans because it shines a light on an extremely important era in American history. You are a light. 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. All authority emanates from the consent of the governed and the satisfaction of the customer., each of us has a moral obligation to stand up, speak up and speak out. For beginners Youll find this to be a good primer if youre a learner with little or no prior experience/knowledge. 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. Since that dreadful day, America has made a big improvement in closing the racial gap. WATCH: Full episodes of 'I Was There' online now. We will see less. As Henry Louis Gates, a Harvard professor, stated, the test was so challenging that his counterpart could find the correct response to only one question. Follow Chris on Twitter @historyauthor. They explain how he was able to face down violence and respond in a non-violent manner to people who thought he was their enemy, and later offer his opponents love and reconciliation. The tale of John Lewis is sufficient to demonstrate that since he went through verbal swears, assassinations, and 40 arrests. presents the latest findings in a topical field and is written by a renowned expert but lacks a bit in style. There are more negroes in jail with me than there are on the voting rolls., READ MORE: Civil Rights Movement Timeline. Across that bridge by John Lewis, 2012, Hyperion edition, in English - 1st ed. Every page is filled with lines that are quotable. Each of us must answer those questions according to the dictates of our conscience and the principles of our faith. When the police intervened, he refused to sue. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. When his store was finally empty of customers, one local shopkeeper confided to Washington Star reporter Haynes Johnson about the citys institutional racism, Everybody knows its going on, but they try to pretend they dont see it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The juxtaposition struck like psychological lightning in American homes, wrote Gene Roberts and Hank Klibanoff in The Race Beat. Getting to know how life should be and constructing a plan for executing it. Lots of people, including politicians and citizens, are not ready for this devotion. Amy suggested that I read Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement, which is in our infinite pile of books (and near the top). It rarely happens all at once. When Did African Americans Get the Right to Vote? According to Lewis, three pioneer role models who were trying to find the truth in the 1960s John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. recalled him to continuously pursue equality. 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. This ignorance comes from the thought that the world differs for different races. This is the finding of ecologists and other scientists looking at how peripheral spaces can provide adaptive strength. For his audience, Lewis targets Occupy protestors, and members of the movement will draw lessons from the anecdotes that are the heart of the book. I learned so much about the Civil Rights movement, and what's more, the lessons he provides are timely today for the desire for change we see percolating in our society. 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