John Lewis Urges Young People To 'Let Freedom Ring' In Posthumous Essay

Ahead of the late Congressman and civil rights icon's Thursday morning (July 30) funeral, the New York Times published an essay, written by Lewis in the days leading up to his death, where he called for Americans to "answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe."

"Ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem the soul of America by getting in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble," he wrote. "Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself."

Lewis, who died on July 17 at 80 after a monthslong battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, concluded his essay with a message of hope, writing, "When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression and war."