Final answer:
John Lewis's parents likely feared violent and economic retaliation, particularly amidst the deeply entrenched segregation of the rural South. They also may have shared ideologies that questioned integration into White-controlled institutions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The parents of John Lewis likely did not support his efforts to attend Troy College due to the fear of retribution and the dangerous climate of the rural South during that era for Black families taking a stand against segregation. Acts of violence and economic retaliation were common against families like Lewis's, who lived in a society dominated by segregationist policies and where the views towards racial integration posed real and serious risks. Furthermore, the incident with Governor George Wallace's “Stand in the Schoolhouse Door” demonstrated the extent to which state authorities would go to maintain segregation, reinforcing the dangerous challenges that came with confronting these entrenched systems of discrimination. Additionally, they may have been influenced by the viewpoints of figures like Marcus Garvey, who believed in self-reliance and questioned the efficacy of attempting to integrate into institutions controlled by Whites, suggesting a complex landscape of ideologies among African Americans about the best approach to racial equality.