John Lewis is a U.S. Congressman representing Georgia’s 5th district. He was a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement, leading the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and giving a keynote speech at the 1963 March on Washington. As a Congressman, Lewis continues to focus on bolstering voting rights and building progressive social movements in the United States.

HPR: You fought to end Jim Crow in the South and served on the Atlanta City Council. In recent years, the strength of the Democratic Party has not been as strong as it once was. How can Democrats regain support at the local level?

Lewis: We are in the process, with new leadership, of rebuilding the Democratic Party from the bottom up. At the congressional level, you see Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, and other individuals, trying to reclaim the House and reclaim the Senate, pooling resources. We will not give up, or give in, and we are going to have some great victories. We are going to come very close tonight, and [Jon Ossoff] may just take it tonight in Georgia. That would be a major down payment on the future.

Image Source: Flickr/LBJ Library