John Lewis became elected as chairman of the SNCC (Students' Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) because of his already vast experience as a fighter of human rights at age 23. Aspart of the major human right most important leaders known as "the Big Six," Lewis helped organize the 1963, peaceful March on Washington showcasing Dr. Martin Luther's King Jr. most famous speech, I Have A Dream.
The next year, he helped coordinate "The Mississippi Freedom Summer" campaign aimed at registering southern, African American voters and who black students from other parts of the country racism in Southern universities first-hand. During this campaign, he and another 600 activists became involved in what was known as "Bloody Sunday," an incident that took place when the demonstrators crossed the Selma Peta Bridge, in Alabama, and as they began to pray, Alabama State Troopers assaulted them with tear gas and nightsticks. Lewis was one of the injured demonstrators that day with a fractured skull.
Since 1987, Lewis has been a Congress Representative for Georgia's 5th congressional district. During that time, he has remained vocal and active defending human rights of African Americans, gays and also national healthcare insurance. He has been arrested a few times for dissenting with government decisions actions made in Washington.