Rep. John Lewis introduced President Obama Saturday in Selma, but not before making his own bold speech.
Lewis, who was beaten nearly to death by police on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., in 1965, told the crowd to build on the legacy he was part of 50 years ago.
“There’s still work left to be done. Get out there and push and pull until we redeem the soul of America,” Lewis, an Alabama native, said.
He added: “Don’t give up on things of great meaning to you. Don’t get lost in a sea of despair. Stand up for what you believe,” noting that the U.S. will never be the same because of what happened on the bridge.
He and others return to the Selma to be renewed, inspired and reminded to continue to work toward justice and equality, he said.
