Why Did John Lewis Become A Student Activist

It was the 1959-1960 school year in Nashville, Tennessee. I large spring of hope began to bubble up from the earth. It’s beginning came from American Baptist College. A major proponent for this geyser was John Lewis. John Lewis was a student activist that led sit-ins and non-violent movements. He was among others too Diane Nash, James Bevel, Bernard Lafayette, and many others. The hard thing to explain is that John Lewis was among thousands of other students from the Nashville area and was among the few that actually made a stand for civil rights and equality. So why John Lewis? There were certain events that led to Lewis becoming a student activist, that led him to lead while many would not, and pushed him to the lead fighting for what was

John Lewis has nine siblings and was son of a couple sharecroppers. John Lewis was different though. Many of the people surrounding him growing up were passive and reserved; These people of Alabama were not willing to fight for right or stand up for equality. Though it was understandable. During the early to mid 1900’s the deep south was under Jim Crow laws. These laws enforced racial segregation and often times punished severely those who broke the segregation barriers. African Americans were often beaten severely or thrown in prison for life, often with no reason at all. John Lewis however grew up during a time where there was a beginning of social change. He idolized Martin Luther King Jr. and W.E.B Du Bois and wanted to become a minister. He preached to his chickens, but he soon wanted more and knew he would have to travel away from home. His mother found him an article showcasing American Baptist and how he could get free tuition on a student work program. Lewis soon left Troy and headed on his way to Nashville. Lewis wouldn’t know the world he was about to step into and the one he was about to

There he worked hard to become a minister at American Baptist College. He had a very large love for God, which was a very large reason why he was able to keep mental fortitude and have an undying strength for his cause. Lewis was a dreamer. He dreamed of going to Morehouse College, the school where MLK learned. He dreamed of becoming a minister, and making a difference in the world. John Lewis was a shy boy, but did not falter when speaking towards a cause, whether it be civil rights or the word of God. A very large reason why Lewis was able to dedicate himself to his cause was himself facing the ridicule of diversity. All African Americans in the south faced racial discrimination, that is a given. John Lewis however was discriminated even more for he had a speech impediment. He would stutter and not be able to finish his words. So he was made fun of not only by whites, but also by his fellow African Americans. This ridicule made John Lewis strong. Strong enough to take on a cause greater than himself, and be able to not care what people thought of him. There literally was nothing for him to