Civil Rights Icon John Lewis Dies at 80

Georgia Representative and Civil Rights icon John Lewis died on Friday. He passed away with in hospice care at the age of 80. 

John Lewis
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Image via Getty/ Rick Diamond

John Lewis

According to multiple reports, Georgia Representative and Civil Rights icon John Lewis died on Friday. He passed away with in hospice care at the age of 80. 

In December 2019, the congressman revealed that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. “I have been in some kind of fight – for freedom, equality, basic human rights – for nearly my entire life," he wrote in a statement at the time. "I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now."

BREAKING NEWS: I am on the phone with @AmbAndrewYoung and he just said he got the call that @repjohnlewis has died. #RolandMartinUnfiltered

— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) July 18, 2020

Awful, awful news: Civil Rights Icon Rep John Lewis has died.

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 18, 2020

“You must find a way to get in the way and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” — John Lewis, RIP pic.twitter.com/1qkvfDv5FR

— Mike Monteiro did not pay for 👉🏽 (@monteiro) July 18, 2020

Just this month Magnolia Pictures released John Lewis: Good Trouble, a documentary chronicling  Lewis' decades of activism as a champion for civil rights, voting rights, gun control, health-care reform, immigration, and more. In the wake of his death, people are remembering the late congressman using the hashtag #goodtrouble. 

Best way we can honor John Lewis is to keep making Good Trouble and keep fighting for Black people. pic.twitter.com/Tq1gTYJQed

— Leslie Mac (@LeslieMac) July 18, 2020

Tonight we lost a leader, a Civil Rights hero, and a relentless champion for justice.

We will continue making good trouble in his honor.

Rest in Peace, Congressman John Lewis. pic.twitter.com/ughLpXMpfQ

— Gina Ortiz Jones (@GinaOrtizJones) July 18, 2020

RIP Rep. Lewis. 

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