Civil Rights Icon Rep. John Lewis No Stranger to Sit-Ins

Rep. John Lewis, 76, led a sit-in on Wednesday in a quest to force a vote on gun control.

And the Civil Rights icon has faced angry mobs hurling racial epithets, jail and a beating by cops wielding night sticks that was so brutal that his skull was fractured.

Over 50 House Democrats participated in the historic protest which went into Wednesday evening.

"This is an important moment. I never dreamed that one day, after coming to Congress, I would have to sit in on the floor of the House, sit down, occupy the well of the House," Lewis said Wednesday. "We've been waiting, waiting for a long time, for the leadership to bring a piece of legislation, or maybe more than one piece, to deal with gun violence. There are too many people, too many children, babies, teachers, our mothers, our fathers, our sisters and brothers, people going out to dance and have fun, to die because of gun violence."

Contact Us