John Lewis: Get in the Way

This excellent documentary, at less than 55 min. in length, was aired originally on PBS in February of this year. It's a concise look into the life and career of a most courageous American icon, Congressman John Lewis.

The film depicts his early life as a sharecroppers' son in Alabama, followed by his deep seeded beliefs in desegregation and his willingness to endure many beatings and arrests for that cause in the 1950's and 60's, but always maintaining a nonviolent stance. He became the head of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, better known as S.N.C.C., and stood beside Martin Luther King Jr. in many civil rights battles.

Still going strong today at the age of 77, Lewis has served a Congressional District, in Atlanta, Ga. for over 30 years now, and has continued to champion civil rights not only for blacks, but for all minorities while steadfastly maintaining his own principles.

I found this to be a most engaging documentary, filled with interviews and archival footage, but most importantly giving a real heartfelt look into the heart and soul of John Lewis. One can certainly say that the film, directed by Kathleen Dowdey, is a startling reminder of how precarious many of the changes in our country over the past decades are, with our new Administration and its supporters.