Response to ​The Power of Nonviolence ​by John Lewis

Senator John Lewis was a participant in many sit-ins in the 1960’s and led a civil rights march
later known as “Bloody Sunday”. He grew up in Troy, Alabama in a poor family. He saw
segregation and discrimination in his own small town, but was taught by his family’s strong faith
that all men were created equal. His religion instilled a sense of hope and optimism that helped
him make a difference later on in his life. I think that this can be compared to Rashad in the
novel ​All American Boys​. Rashad has very good morals and comes from a stable family that has
raised him well. However, he was later mistreated very badly when he was beaten by Paul.

Similar to the situation faced by these characters, John Lewis was the first to be attacked during
the “Bloody Sunday” march in Selma to fight segregation. Instead of acting in an impatient or
bitter way, Lewis decided to mirror other great figures in history and act in a loving way. He
believed that “the march was, above all, a work of love” and even told police officers later that
he forgave them. He spoke with Governor Wallace, the man responsible for stopping the march
to Selma, and told him that his goal was to spread love and equality.

If John Lewis were to speak with the characters in our novel at this point in the book, he would
most likely tell them to be patient. No change will ever be made quickly, and struggle is not
short. He wrote that “we perceive that waiting was an elegant way to prove a point.”