John Lewis Memorial Taskforce elevating cash for statue of Civil Rights hero – Decaturish

Decatur, GA – The task force working to erect a statue in honor of the late Rep. John Lewis will host a virtual launch event on Thursday, August 19 at 7:00 p.m.

Lewis, a civil rights activist, is known for marching with famous politician Hosea L. Williams across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, in March 1965. It is the famous image from Bloody Sunday of the young John Lewis donning a trench coat and backpack being considered for a statue in Decatur.

Lewis’ memorial will replace the Confederate memorial, which residents viewed as a recall to the Jim Crow era of the south.

The Confederate Obelisk was erected in 1908 by A. Evans Camp of Confederate Veterans with funds raised by the Agnes Lee Order of the Daughters of the Confederation. Activists had requested its removal for almost three years before it was removed in 2020.

The John Lewis Commemorative Task Force is led by DeKalb County District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson and Decatur Mayor Patti Garrett. It is jointly run by Garrett and former county CEO Burrell Ellis. Established in August 2020, the task force was “tasked with commemorating Congressman John Lewis through a new public work of art to be installed on the site of a previous Confederate memorial in front of the DeKalb County Courthouse.”

“This commissioned work becomes a symbol of inclusivity and justice in honor of Congressman Lewis’ central role in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and his lifelong struggle for human rights, dignity and equality for all as a Congressman who has served the 5th District for over 30 years” According to a press release from the task force.

The free, virtual kick-off event will feature messages from friends and colleagues of Lewis, including Senator Jon Ossoff, Black Congressional Caucus Chairwoman Joyce Beatty, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The program will be broadcast live via DCTV on Thursday, August 19th at 7pm. Donations for the project can be made at any time at https://www.johnlewistribute.com/.

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