His Truth Is Marching on: John Lewis and the Power of Hope

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John Lewis, who faced brutal violence at the Edmund Pettus Bridge during the Selma march at age twenty-five, is portrayed as a visionary and man of faith. Through intimate interviews and extensive research into the civil rights movement, Meacham reveals how Lewis drew inspiration from the Bible, his mother's resilience, his father's ambition as a sharecropper, and the teachings of nonviolence from figures like Reverend James Lawson and Martin Luther King, Jr. Lewis believed in hope above all, understanding nonviolence as not just a tactic, but a philosophy and a biblical mandate. His early ambition to become a preacher led him to practice on his chickens, refusing to eat one when it was cooked—his first act of nonviolent protest. Central to his dedication to improving the nation was his faith in humanity and God, coupled with an unwavering belief in hope's power. Meacham emphasizes Lewis's significance, likening him to foundational figures like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, asserting that his courageous actions were motivated by a deep love for America and a commitment to religion, rather than in opposition to them.