Gale Encyclopedia of American Law Volume 6 P35 fully illuminates today's leading cases, major statutes, legal terms and concepts, notable persons involved with the law, important documents and more. Legal issues are fully discussed in easy-to-understand language, including such high-profile topics as the Americans with Disabilities Act, capital punishment, domestic violence, gay and lesbian rights, physician-assisted suicide and thousands more. | 328 LEWIS JOHN ROBERT If we are ever to MOVE TOWARD A COLORBLIND SOCIETY one America one SOCIETY ONE family one PEOPLE WE MUST have policies that PROMOTE AND encourage DIVERSITY. John Lewis numerous arrests as well as physical and verbal abuse by local whites. Through it all Lewis maintained a path of nonviolence toward achieving civil rights. Lewis was unanimously elected chairperson of SNCC in 1963 and served until 1966 when stokely carmichael the proponent of the more aggressive Black Power strategy won his seat. During the time that he was chairman Lewis was one of the speakers during the August 28 1963 March on Washington when nearly 250 000 people converged on the . capital to stage a peaceful protest for freedom and fairness in hiring practices. After he was ousted as SNCC chairman Lewis went on to work for the Field Foundation. One of his most significant roles there was as director of its Voter Education Project. From 1970 through 1977 Lewis led grass-roots efforts to organize Southern African-American voters and to educate the youth politically. In 1977 President jimmy carter appointed Lewis to be director of . operations for ACTION a federal agency overseeing economic recovery programs at the community level. In 1982 Lewis was elected to Atlanta City Council where he was known for his close attention to the needs of the poor and the elderly. Twenty years after he stepped down as the leader of SNCC Lewis was elected to the . House of Representatives after a hard-fought battle with his former SNCC co-worker Georgia state senator julian bond. Although as a congressman critics accused him of not adapting his positions to the changing needs of African-Americans he nonetheless remained a voice calling for a sense of shared purpose of basic morality that speaks to blacks and whites alike. In 1991 Lewis became one of the three chief deputy whips for the democratic party one of the most influential positions in the House. His criticism of House speaker .
