John Lewis: Marching for Freedom

As a young man, Congressman John Lewis of Georgia's 5th district embraced the philosophy of non-violence and put his life on the line during the Civil Rights movement.

In part one of two special episodes, Lewis shares moving stories of his philosophy and work. He discusses his experiences on the front lines of the struggle for Civil Rights. Lewis was a participant in many of the key events of the Movement, from sit-in demonstrations at segregated lunch counters to the Freedom Rides, which challenged segregation at interstate bus terminals across the South, from the historic March on Washington, at which he was a keynote speaker, to the important March from Selma to Montgomery. Jailed more than forty times, frequently beaten but never deflected from his goals, Lewis is considered "one of the most courageous persons the Civil Rights Movement ever produced."

John Lewis: A Conversation – Marching for Freedom is being broadcast in conjunction with the national re-release on PBS of the landmark series Eyes on the Prize, which chronicles the Civil Rights Movement.

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