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We never gave up. We didn’t get lost in a sea of despair. We kept the faith. We kept pushing and pulling. We kept marching. And we made some progress.

John Lewis

We must do the work that justice and equality calls us to do.
JOHN LEWIS

Call Equality Justice Work
Voting is the most powerful nonviolent tool or instrument that we have in a democratic society. And we must use it.
JOHN LEWIS

Democracy Instrument Non Violence Powerful Society Tool Vote
I think my whole life has been one of sort of daring, and sort of sailing against the wind instead of just going with the wind.
JOHN LEWIS

Against Dare Life Sail Thinking Wind
Without our faith, we wouldn’t have been able to succeed.
JOHN LEWIS

Faith Inspirational Success
A democracy cannot thrive where power remains unchecked and justice is reserved for a select few.
JOHN LEWIS

Democracy Government Justice Power
You have to go with your gut sometimes, and how you feel.
JOHN LEWIS

Feeling Gut Justice
Rosa Parks inspired me to find a way to get in the way, to get in trouble – good trouble, necessary trouble.
JOHN LEWIS

Necessary Trouble
Create a society at peace with itself, and lay down the burden of hate and division.
JOHN LEWIS

Burden Creation Division Hate Peace Society
When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.
JOHN LEWIS

Equality Justice Truth
I say to people today, ‘You must be prepared if you believe in something. If you believe in something, you have to go for it. As individuals, we may not live to see the end.
JOHN LEWIS

Believe Individual Live People Preparation
Say something. Have the courage. Have the backbone. Get in the way. Walk with the wind. It’s all going to work out.
JOHN LEWIS

Black Lives Matter Courage Justice Racism Wind Work
We need someone who will stand up and speak up and speak out for the people who need help, for people who are being discriminated against.
JOHN LEWIS

Help Justice Need People Speak
We need some creative tension; people crying out for the things they want.
JOHN LEWIS

Black Lives Matter Creative Cry People Racism
Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society.
JOHN LEWIS

Action Creation Freedom Generation Society
We must continue to go forward as one people, as brothers and sisters.
JOHN LEWIS

Brother Continue People Sister Togetherness Unity
If you’re not hopeful and optimistic, then you just give up. You have to take that long hard look and just believe that if your consistent, you will succeed.
JOHN LEWIS

Believe Consistence Give Up Hope Optimism Success
Segregation and racial discrimination were not in keeping with our faith, so we had to do something.
JOHN LEWIS

Faith Justice Racism
You have to take the long hard look and just believe that if you’re consistent, you will succeed.
JOHN LEWIS

Believe Consistence Hard Justice Motivational Success
I believe in freedom of speech, but I also believe that we have an obligation to condemn speech that is racist, bigoted, anti-Semitic, or hateful.
JOHN LEWIS

Believe Freedom Hate Obligation Racism Speech
Without prayer, without faith in the Almighty, the civil rights movement would have been like a bird without wings.
JOHN LEWIS

Bird Civil Faith Movement Prayer Rights Wings
Too many people struggled, suffered, and died to make it possible for every American to exercise their right to vote.
JOHN LEWIS

Country Exercise Possible Struggle Suffering Vote
It’s a shame and a disgrace that so few people take part in the political process.
JOHN LEWIS

Disgarce People Politics Process Shame
If you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something about it.
JOHN LEWIS

Justice Moral Obligation Right
I believe that you see something that you want to get done, you cannot give up, and you cannot give in.
JOHN LEWIS

Believe Done Give Up Inspirational Want
When growing up, I saw segregation. I saw racial discrimination. I saw those signs that said white men, colored men. White women, colored women. White waiting. And I didn’t like it.
JOHN LEWIS

Black Gorw Up Men Racism Sign White Women
The scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in the society.
JOHN LEWIS

Racism Scars Society Stain
People must understand that people were beaten, arrested, jailed, and some people were murdered, while attempting to register to vote, or to get others to register to vote.
JOHN LEWIS

Arrest Attempt Murder People Register Undersstand Vote

We never gave up. We didn’t get lost in a sea of despair. We kept the faith. We kept pushing and pulling. We kept marching. And we made some progress.

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We never gave up. We didn’t get lost in a sea of despair. We kept the faith. We kept pushing and pulling. We kept marching. And we made some progress.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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