Edmund Pettus Bridge Archives • Page 2 of 3 • Alabama Political Reporter

Governor orders flags at half-staff in honor of civil rights icon, Congressman John Lewis

Gov. Kay Ivey has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff from Saturday until sunrise on Monday, following the death of civil rights icon and Georgia Congressman John Lewis on Friday. “As we prepare to lay Congressman Lewis to rest, we are honored to welcome him home to Alabama to sit overlooking Dexter Avenue, as … Continued

July 24, 2020

Congressman John Lewis to lie in state in Alabama’s State Capitol

Congresswoman Terri Sewell, D-Alabama, released a statement Thursday applauding the decision to honor Civil Rights icon and Congressman John Lewis by allowing his body to lie in state in Alabama’s State Capitol. Lewis will make final crossing from Selma to Montgomery to lie in state in Montgomery, Sewell announced. “In this deeply sorrowful moment of … Continued

July 24, 2020

In memory of John Lewis

The day I was sworn into Congress, a man I had never met before but had heard a lot about and admired approached me to introduce himself and welcome me to the House. His name was John Lewis. He told me he was born and raised in Troy, Alabama, and though he lived and represented … Continued

July 22, 2020

John Lewis, the giant

“I thought you would be taller.” Those words, embarrassingly enough, were the first I said to Rep. John Lewis. This was five years ago, inside the Selma Interpretive Center, for an interview as part of coverage of the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday and the Selma-to-Montgomery march. Despite meeting and interviewing — and becoming friends … Continued

July 20, 2020

Leaders react to passing of Alabama native John Lewis

Below are several reactions from leaders about the passing of Congressman John Lewis, a civil rights icon.

July 18, 2020

Push to rename Edmund Pettus Bridge gains steam, but Selma activists want their say

The latest effort to rename the bridge is gaining momentum, with a petition surpassing 300,000 signatures, but residents of Selma are saying not so fast.

July 6, 2020

Nonprofit formed to rename Edmund Pettus Bridge for Georgia Rep. John Lewis

The man behind the online petition to rename the Edmund Pettus Bridge for Georgia Rep. John Lewis, who marched across the Selma bridge in 1965 and was attacked along with other civil rights activists, has launched a nonprofit aimed to see the renaming to its end and to remove other signs of the Confederacy. Michael … Continued

June 22, 2020

Sewell implores Alabamians “to speak out and demand change without violence”

Alabama U.S. Rep.Terri Sewell said that her heart aches for George Floyd and that anger should be directed not to violence but to action. “The heroes of the Civil Rights Movement showed us it is possible to change history without damaging property and torching businesses that our community members depend on, so I implore all … Continued

June 2, 2020

Biden, Bloomberg, Buttigieg, Klobuchar and Warren to travel to Selma

Sunday, Presidential candidates former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, former Vice President Joe Biden, South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg, and U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesoata, will travel to Alabama where they will participate in the events commemorating the attempted crossing of the Edmund Pettus bridge by voting rights marchers during … Continued

February 28, 2020