Dear John Lewis,
Throughout the end of the book March, my emotions were at an all-time high. I found myself constantly envisioning myself in the events that took place during this time period. While reading,
many different thoughts filled throughout my head. I could only imagine how overwhelming and treacherous Bloody Sunday must have been for the 600 Americans who were courageous enough to participate in the march from Selma to Montgomery. Countless amounts of innocent people were viciously murdered simply for fighting for their rights, even though they did so peacefully. It wasn’t until months after when all the deadly protests, the acts of pure bravery, and the overall fight for equality by over thousands of African Americans had finally paid off. The Voting Rights Act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, giving blacks the right to vote.
(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Along with this Act, you noted the fact that President Barack Obama coming into office was also represented as a major accomplishment for the many Civil rights leaders and protesters that had come before. No African American had ever held such a high level of power in the history of the United States. We as a race went from protesting the right to elect people who supported African Americans, to now having someone who directly represented the African American race as a whole elected into office. I love this inclusion in the book because it gives a sense of reassurance for the ongoing struggles of African Americans. The many people who protested for our civil rights and lost their lives while doing so will forever be treasured. Their souls can now rest. Overall this was a very motivating and moving book that sheds light on the many obstacles that African Americans have faced for centuries and how far we’ve come.
Sincerely,
Kennedy Matthews