Introduction
Even the most democratic world nations are not free from particular social problems, and the U.S. is not an exception. Over its rich history, the country has witnessed a variety of social issues that have affected thousands of different people. Fortunately, some individuals have exerted their efforts to create social change across the nation and to alter the culture. Among them, John Lewis, the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), is an outstanding figure who has been combatting equality and justice in American society.
Biography
John Robert Lewis was born in 1940 in Troy, Alabama, in a family of sharecroppers. His family was rather big, which made them live poorly. As a usual African American, he became familiar with the negative manifestations of racism in early childhood. Thus, he was forced to attend a school that was approximately 20 miles away because it was the closest educational establishment that accepted black students. That state of affairs seemed to be untenable to Lewis, and he decided that he would oppose all cases of racial discrimination in the future. His actions began in the 1960s when he established the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Their active participation in the Social Rights Movement made him a famous person, which was proved when Lewis started his political career. Lewis was delighted in 2008 when Barack Obama became the president of the United States. Over his long and eventful life, the civil rights advocate has obtained many honors, prizes, and awards.
Social Problem under Consideration
As has been stated, a social problem of racism was of particular interest for Lewis. When he was growing up, he saw that society was not equal, even despite the fact that slavery had been abolished. Many desegregation laws proved that blacks and whites had different and sometimes opposite civil rights. For example, black people were not allowed to use public transport and sometimes even speak to white people. Thus, Doeden states that Lewis was shocked when a black teenager “was brutally beaten and killed for innocently flirting with a white woman” (p. 17). These numerous cases of injustice were not acceptable to Lewis; the man wanted to live in a democratic society without these social problems. That is why he decided to make his own contribution to improve the lives of ordinary people.
Specific Actions
The state of affairs above made Lewis ready to make a social change, and he started acting according to a strategy of nonviolent protest. He was sure that society was already full of violence, and any improvements could and might be achieved with the help of peaceful means only. The first step of his strategy was to oppose unlawful segregation orders that prevented African Americans from attending the same public eating establishments as the whites. To cope with it, members of the SNCC organized numerous sit-ins. Thus, the black people came to lunch counters that were for white clients only. A similar approach was utilized to oppose public transport segregation. Even though the Supreme Court had considered this phenomenon unconstitutional in 1960, some federal governments did not enforce this decision even in a few years. That is why Lewis, with his both black and white co-thinkers from the Freedom Riders, traveled from one state to another by public transport. It was done to show that there was nothing wrong with black and white passengers sitting next to each other in busses.
In addition to that, Lewis tried to provide black citizens with voting rights. The Mississippi Freedom Summer campaign was designed to draw the public’s attention to provide African Americans with their civil rights. However, the most significant event in Lewis’s activity happened in 1965 when he participated in Selma March. On March 7, peaceful protesters were met by police, and the law enforcement officers used force to disperse the demonstration. Lewis had his skull fractured, but he managed to escape. His leading role in opposing the police made him a famous social rights defender; numerous people across the whole nation were ready to support Lewis. That event is currently known as “Bloody Sunday,” and it marks the struggles the African Americans had to withstand to make the social change.
Outcomes
Lewis made enormous efforts to change the American culture and society, and his actions led to particular consequences for the country. Firstly, the man kept on attracting attention to the existing problems. Even though it did not influence the situation directly, the realization of racism and injustice was the first step to improving that situation. Secondly, his efforts made the civil rights movement more popular. For example, Lewis “felt pride as protesters staged a bus boycott, refusing to ride on city buses and demanding respect for black riders” (Doeden, p. 17). The human rights defender understood that they were inspired by his activity. Finally, the efforts to provide the blacks with their voting skills did not go unnoticed because they started participating in elections. Back then, the social problem of racism seemed to have made a move to a positive change. Thus, Lewis managed to make a significant contribution to affect U.S. culture.
Furthermore, Lewis has managed to achieve some personal results thanks to his active social position. Firstly, he became a famous person in the country, and thousands of U.S citizens, both black and white, respected him and gave credence to his words. Secondly, Lewis wanted to change society for the better, which allowed him to start a political career. Thus, his forceful social position and devotion to advocating human rights helped him become a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. During his terms in office, the man participated in various protests against social, economic, and foreign issues. He could influence a significant part of voters by supporting this or that candidate – in 2008, he changed his mind and cast his vote for Obama. Maybe, Obama would not have become the president without Lewis’s support. Thus, Lewis’s beliefs and activities have affected U.S. policy significantly.
Conclusion
John Robert Lewis is a prominent person in the history of America. He was born in a low-income family and was forced to witness racism and injustice from the early years. That is why he decided to make his own contribution to make society better. Lewis created the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee to combat racial segregation through peaceful means. Together with his co-thinkers, the man organized various actions, fought police, and provided the African Americans with their voting rights. These activities helped him create a political career to implement his beliefs at the country level. Thus, Robert Lewis has managed to create social change across the nation.
Work Cited
Doeden, Matt. John Lewis: Courage in Action. Lerner Publications, 2018.