his attacker and they embraced and cried.
The episode, he said, “says something about the power of the philosophy of nonviolence. It says something about reconciliation, to rebuild that sense of community, to build a beloved community. That’s what the civil rights movement was all about — to create a truly beloved community, a truly multiracial society. And, we must not give up. We must not give in. We must not give out. We must not get lost in a sea of despair. We must keep the faith, keep our eyes on the prize, and never, never turn back.”
Johnson, whose oral history is part of the “New Birth of Freedom” exhibit, called Lewis’ lecture a riveting lesson on the country’s history. Others in attendance echoed his sentiment.
Kayla Jones, an 11-year-old sixth-grader from Rancho Santa Margarita, said she was saddened to hear Lewis talk about how he was unable to get a library card as a child because he was black.
“We’re all equal and we shouldn’t discriminate against each other,” she said.
Congressman John R. Lewis, center, points to civil rights-era buttons. He is flanked by Fullerton Mayor Sharon Quirk-Silva, left, and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. Photo: Karen Tapia Download Photo