Analysis Of John Lewis Speech For The March On Washington

There were many sources of conflict within the civil rights movement including Issues with John Lewis’s speech for the March on Washington as well as John Lewis and The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee or SNCC. Even though there were some conflict great things were still achieved.
John Lewis began writing his speech for the March on Washington with the help of SNCC staffer Nancy Stern, communications director Julian Bond as well as Jim Forman and Prathia Hall. He later received a call from Bayard Rustin who said “some people are very concerned about some of the things you’re going to say in your speech” (Lewis and Aydin 2;156). Rustin was concerned because John Lewis used the word Patience in his speech which he said is a “dirty and nasty word”. He said that because to use the word patience could be offensive to the catholic church, Catholics believe in the word patience. Along with Rustin’s protests Ray Wilkins voiced his objections to his speech. John Lewis argued “I’m speaking for my colleagues in SNCC, and for the people in the delta and the black belt. You haven’t been there Mr. Wilkins. You don’t understand.” (Lewis and Aydin 2;163). He was also told he couldn’t say revolution or masses because it was communist talk. In the end John Lewis’s speech no longer called the Presidents bill “to little to late”

While traveling John Lewis met Malcom X, who he learned had a very different approach to the movement. Malcom X was an appointed minister and national spokesman for the NOI (Nation of ISLAM). After founding his own religious organization, the Muslim Mosque Inc, he urged his followers to defend themselves “by any means necessary”. He disagreed with John Lewis’s nonviolent approach, growing frustrated because he worried that blacks would ultimately lose control of their own