The March on Washington was a March for Jobs and Freedom. There are still too many people who are unemployed or underemployed in America - they're black, white, Latino, Native American and Asian American.
John LewisRead
My mother and father and many of my relatives had been sharecroppers.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the legacy of hard work and the challenges faced by one's ancestors.
John Lewis reflects on his family's history of sharecropping, emphasizing the struggles and resilience of his parents and relatives. This acknowledgment of their difficult circumstances serves to honor their sacrifices and perseverance, showing how these experiences shaped his identity and values.
Themes
FamilyHeritageSharecroppingResilienceStruggle
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech to highlight the importance of understanding one's roots during a family reunion.
More from John Lewis
All quotes →The scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in the American society.
John LewisRead
Customs, traditions, laws should be flexible, within good reason, if that is what it takes to make our democracy work.
John LewisRead
I say to people today, 'You must be prepared if you believe in something. If you believe in something, you have to go for it. As individuals, we may not live to see the end.'
John LewisRead
We need someone who is going to stand up, speak up, and speak out for the people who need help, for the people who have been discriminated against.
John LewisRead
If it hadn't been for that march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday, there would be no Barack Obama as President of the United States of America.
John LewisRead
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