Rep. John Lewis to lie in state at Capitol next week

Dartunorro Clark
Updated ·3 min read

Rep. John Lewis will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda next week, the top congressional leaders of both parties announced Thursday.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in a joint news release that Lewis, the civil rights icon who was known as the "conscience of Congress," will have an invitation-only arrival ceremony Monday, followed by a public viewing at the top of the east front steps of the U.S. Capitol on Monday and Tuesday.

There will also be a procession through Washington, where members of the public can pay their respects.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, masks will be required to enter the line, and social distancing will be enforced.

Lewis' family is also asking members of the public not to travel from across the country to Washington. Instead, virtual tributes may be posted online using the hashtags #BelovedCommunity or #HumanDignity, the release said.

Lewis died last Friday at age 80 from complications of pancreatic cancer.

Lewis dedicated his life to the fight for justice and equality, first as a leader in the civil rights movement in his 20s and then by serving Georgia in Congress for more than 30 years. He was the last surviving speaker from the 1963 March on Washington.

Lewis' family Thursday night announced Celebration of Life ceremonies over six days, starting Saturday. Not all are open to the public because of concerns about the pandemic, and precautions like masks and social distancing will be required.

The events include a procession across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where Lewis was beaten in a march on March 7, 1965, known as Bloody Sunday. Sunday's event is called "The Final Crossing."

Lewis will lie in state at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery before going to Washington. He will then lie in state at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta.

A celebration of life will be held at Ebenezer Baptist Church Horizon Sanctuary in Atlanta on Thursday.

The events announced by Lewis' family Thursday are:

Saturday, July 25: "The Boy From Troy." Troy and Selma, Alabama

  • A Service Celebrating "The Boy from Troy." Trojan Arena, Troy University, 10–11 a.m. CT. Open to public but seating is limited; tickets required.

  • Rep. Lewis Lies in Repose. Trojan Arena, Troy University, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. CT. Open to the public.

  • Selma Honors Congressman John Robert Lewis: 1940-2020. Brown Chapel AME Church, 6–8 p.m. CT. Not open to public.

  • Rep. Lewis Lies in Repose. Brown Chapel AME Church, 8–11 p.m. CT. Open to the public.

Sunday, July 26: "#Good Trouble: Courage, Sacrifice & the Long March for Freedom." Selma and Montgomery, Alabama

  • The Final Crossing. Edmund Pettus Bridge, 10 a.m. CT. Public is invited to watch procession.

  • Receiving Ceremony. Alabama State Capitol, 2–2:15 p.m. CT

  • Rep. John Lewis Lies in State. Alabama State Capitol, 3–7 p.m. CT. Open to the public.

Monday, July 27, and Tuesday, July 28: "The Conscience Of The Congress," Washington, D.C.

  • Special Ceremony, Rotunda, United States Capitol. Monday, July 27, 2-3 p.m.

  • Rep. John Lewis Lies in State. United States Capitol. Monday, July 27, 3-10 p.m.; Tuesday, July 28, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Public viewing.

Wednesday, July 29: "Atlanta's Servant Leader." Atlanta

  • Special Ceremony, Rotunda, Georgia State Capitol, 2-3 p.m.

  • Rep. John Lewis Lies in State. Rotunda, Georgia State Capitol, 3-7 p.m. and 8 p.m.–8 a.m. Open to the public.

  • Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Omega Service. Rotunda, Georgia State Capitol, 7-8 p.m.

Thursday, July 30, "A Lifetime Of Service." Atlanta

  • A Celebration of Life. Ebenezer Baptist Church Horizon Sanctuary, 11 a.m. Because of COVID-19 precautions, not open to the public.