Mississippi civil rights leader remembers John Lewis

A Mississippi civil rights leader reflectreflected her on friendship with Congressman John Lewis.

THEIR BOND.I AM RAISED HIM AS ANOTHER BIGBROTHER BECAUSE OUR CAUSE WASTHE SAME HE NEVER CHANGED.HE DID NOT FLIP FLOP ON ISSUESYOU COULD COUNT ON JOHN TO SAYWHAT HE MEAN AND TO MEAN WHAT’DHE SAY AND TO DO WHATEVER WASNECESSARY TO TRY AND MAKE THATHAPPEN.DR. FLUMSY BROWN, RIGHT THEFORMER MADISON COUNTY ELECTIONCOMMISSIONER IN FIRST BLACKWOMAN IN THE STATE TO BE ELECTEDTO A POSITION SINCERECONSTRUCTION HAS KNOWN THELAKE CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS FORMORE THAN 50 YEARS.SHE SAYS THEY MET IN 1964 AT AFREEDOM RALLY IN MADISON COUNTY.MR. LEWIS.MADE IT HIS PASSION TO COME INTOCOMMUNITIES PARTICULARLY WHERETHERE WERE PREDOMINANTLYAFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATIONUNREGISTERED TO DO VOTERREGISTRATION CONTINUOUSLYTHROUGHOUT THE YEARS.SHE AND CONGRESSMAN LEWISATTENDED SEVERAL EVENTS TOGETHERAND STAY CONNECTED.SHE SAYS HE WAS ALWAYS DEDICATEDTO OBTAINING THE RIGHT TO VOTEAND RISKED HIS LIFE FIGHTING FORWHAT HE BELIEVED WAS RIGHT?HOW MANY OF YOU YOUNG PEOPLETODAY COULD HAVE STOOD BEINGBEATEN?AND 40 TIMES IN THE PENITENTIARYIN PARCHMENT ON DEATH ROW HOWMANY OF YOU COULD HAVE DONETHAT?VERY FEW.SHE SAYS DESPITE ALL OF THERACISM AND HATRED.MR. LEWIS AND ORD.HE WAS ALWAYS A FORGIVINGPERSON.EVEN THOUGH HE WAS BEATEN WITHIN A OF HIS LIFE.SOME YEARS LATER THE MAN WHOBEAT HIM.CAME TO HIS OFFICE AND ASK HIMTO FORGIVE HIM.BEATING HIM AND THEY EMBRACED.SHE SAYS HER FAVORITE MEMORY OFJOHN IS WHEN HE RAISED MONEY TOBRING OR SEND TO MISSISSIPPI TOHELP GET PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE.WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THAT YESGETTING THE RIGHT TO VOTE ISFINE.BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS THATI CAN HELP TO BE SURE THAT THEREARE RESOURCES IN THOSE CITIESAND TOWNS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE APOTENTIAL