John Lewis Arrest Photo During the Freedom Rides of 1961
Arrest of The Richmond 34 – February 22, 1960
This week marks two events of significance in the history of our nation and the modern Civil Rights Movement- one that has received national attention and another that is more local but just as important. February 21 is the birthday of Civil Rights icon John Lewis. He was born in 1940 and would have turned 82 this year. The following quote from Krista Tippet’s book Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living summarizes what was at the heart of his profound commitment and sacrifice for advancing racial justice in our nation:
“Einstein asked a ‘what if’ question, about pursuing a beam of light at the speed of light, on his way to comprehending the nature of light and gravity. [Civil rights activist] John Lewis asked a ‘what if’ question as a tool for social alchemy: what if the beloved community were already a reality, the true reality, and he simply had to embody it until everyone else could see?”
John Lewis believed and embodied that God’s love and the dignity of every person are the foundational reality of human existence. He was an amazing example of living into this reality despite the fact that most people at the time thought that it was impossible to change the “way of life” represented by legal racial segregation. He endured numerous arrests and beatings because of his faith in the reality of what Dr. King called the Beloved Community. He continued to embody that reality for the rest of his life until his death in 2020.
Yet John Lewis was not unique in the commitment to embodying the Beloved Community in the face of tremendous opposition. In February 1960 thousands of young people participated in non-violent sit-ins at segregated lunch counters and restaurants throughout the South. On February 22 , thirty four students from the historically Black Virginia Union University were arrested for refusing to leave the segregated dining room at Thalhimer’s department store in downtown Richmond, VA. After being bailed out of jail, they appealed their arrest to the Virginia Supreme Court which affirmed their convictions. That decision was appealed to the United States Supreme Court where their convictions were repealed in 1963. This decision was one factor that contributed to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I am lifting up the Richmond 34 as a reminder that cities and towns throughout the country have examples of people who put their bodies and lives on the line because of their commitment to the same reality for which John Lewis gave his life. Their witness is especially meaningful to me, because I live in the Richmond area. The video posted below lifts up history and legacy of the Richmond 34. Wherever you grew up or live now, there are stories of local people who based their lives on the reality of the Beloved Community. Yet it takes intentional effort to find these stories of people who will never be as well known as John Lewis but who embodied the same reality of God’s love and the dignity of every person. Take some time to learn these stories in your community both in honor of their witness and as a source of inspiration for committing to that same reality in our lives and communities.