Congressman John Lewis and Co-Author John Aydin to Discuss Book at UDC

Congressman John Lewis and Co-Author John Aydin to Discuss Book at UDC

Congressman John Lewis and Co-Author John Aydin to Discuss Book at UDC

In case you missed the event you can view it here on YOUTUBE.  

Washington, DC –The University of the District of Columbia’s David A. Clarke School of Law and the College of Arts and Sciences are proud to co-sponsor the spring semester “Big Read” lecture series featuring civil rights icon, Congressman John Lewis. The distinguished legislator and co-author Andrew Aydin will discuss their award-winning book, March, on Thursday, February 12, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. in the University’s Theater of the Arts Auditorium.  Admission is free and will be followed by a public reception and book signing for those in attendance.  Advance registration is required and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.  The program is being held as part of the University’s observance of African-American History Month.

“March” is a vivid first-hand account of Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. With illustrations by New York Times bestselling artist Nate Powell, the book is rooted in Lewis’ personal story and reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement. It spans his youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement and their battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins, building to a stunning climax on the steps of City Hall.

“Congressman John Lewis is a true advocate for justice,” says Shelley Broderick, Dean of UDC David A. Clarke School of Law. “We are thrilled to celebrate his life and work in 2015, during the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act for which he risked his life.”

April Massey, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, adds that Lewis’ book chronicles his college days as a leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the youngest person to speak at the historic 1963 March on Washington and expressed her excitement over the inclusion of such an amazing work in the College’s “Big Read” series.

“This engagement extends in exceptional ways the intent of our lecture series—the use of literature to knot academic interest and civic engagement,” Massey says.  We are pleased to share the Congressman’s remarkable and inspiring story with a new generation of students.”

The event is free and open to the public, but an RSVP is required. Anyone interested in attending can sign up at http://bit.ly/JohnLewisBook. For event information contact: Joe Libertelli at 202.274.7338 or Kemmell Watson at 202.274.5195

johnlewis_2_12_15_main_pic_0_0


ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

JOHN LEWIS is the U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 5th district and an American icon known for his role in the civil rights movement. He first joined the movement as a seminary student in Nashville, organizing sit-ins and participating in the first Freedom Rides, which challenged illegal segregation at bus stations across the South. He soon became the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and one of the “Big Six” national leaders of the movement, alongside such figures as Martin Luther King, Jr. and A. Philip Randolph. As SNCC chairman, Lewis was an architect of, and the youngest featured speaker at, the historic 1963 March on Washington, and was a key figure in the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer. Together with Hosea Williams, he led the landmark 1965 Selma–Montgomery March (known as “Bloody Sunday”), where police brutality spurred national outrage and hastened passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Despite physical attacks, serious injuries, and more than 40 arrests, John Lewis has remained a devoted advocate of the philosophy of nonviolence. His subsequent career has included voter registration activism, service on the Atlanta City Council, and over 25 years in Congress. Lewis was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2011, and was the first recipient of the John F. Kennedy “Profile in Courage” Lifetime Achievement Award. His 1998 book, “Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement”, called “the definitive account of the civil rights movement” (The Washington Post), won numerous honors, including the Robert F. Kennedy, Lillian Smith, and Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. His subsequent book, “Across that Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change”, received the NAACP Image Award.

ANDREW AYDIN, an Atlanta native, is the Digital Director & Policy Advisor to Rep. John Lewis in Washington, D.C. Following his Georgetown University thesis on the history and impact of Martin Luther King & The Montgomery Story, Aydin continues to publish and lecture about the history of comics in the civil rights movement. Previously, he served as Communications Director and Press Secretary during Rep. Lewis’ 2008 and 2010 re-election campaigns, as District Aide to Rep. John Larson (D-CT), and as Special Assistant to Connecticut Lt. Governor Kevin Sullivan.

 


The University of the District of Columbia (www.udc.edu) supports a broad mission of education, research and community service across its colleges and schools: the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences; the School of Business and Public Administration; School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; the Community College; and the David A. Clarke School of Law.  The University has been designated as an 1862 federal land-grant institution and a Historically Black College and University.

The University of the District of Columbia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution. Minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For a full version of the University’s EO Policy Statement, please visit https://www.udc.edu/equal_opportunity.

The University of the District of Columbia is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 267.284.5000.


Spring 2015 Big Read Lecture Series – Congressman John Lewis

 

On Thursday, February 12, 2015 at 6:30 PM at the UDC Theater of the Arts/Auditorium, as part of UDC College of Arts and Sciences “Big Read” Series, the School of Law is pleased to co-present with CAS, Rep. John Lewis and co-Author Andrew Aydin who will speak and sign their new books! This event is free and open to the public, click here to register
http://www.law.udc.edu/event/JLewis2015

image