Mason Robbins Essays - Activism, Civil Rights Movement,

Mason Robbins 5/7/18 Period 1 John Lewis (1) Early life I was born in Troy, Alabama, I am the third son of Willie Mae (nee Carter) and Eddie Lewis.My parents were sharecroppers.I grew up in Pike County, Alabama.I have several siblings, including my brothers Edward, Grant, Freddie, Sammy, Adolph, and William, and my sisters Ethel, Rosa, and Ora. At the age of six I had seen only two white people in my life.I was educated at the Pike County Training High School, Brundidge, Alabama, and also American Baptist Theological Seminary and at Fisk University, both in Nashville, Tennessee, where I became a leader in the Nashville sit-ins. While a student, I was invited to attend nonviolence workshops held in the basement of Clark Memorial United Methodist Church by the Rev. James Lawson and Rev. Kelly Miller Smith. There many of my fellow students and I became dedicated adherents to the discipline and philosophy of nonviolence, which I still practice today. (2) greatest accomplishments and how I played a role in them In 1957, I left Alabama to attend the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville, Tennessee. There, I learned about nonviolent protest and helped to organize sit-ins at segregated lunch counters.I was arrested during these demonstrations, which upset my mother, but I was committed to the Civil Rights Movement and went on to participate in the Freedom Rides of 1961. Freedom Riders challenged the segregated facilities they encountered at interstate bus terminals in the South, which had been deemed illegal by the Supreme Court. It was dangerous work that resulted in arrests and beatings for many involved, including myself.In 1963, I became chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. That same year, as one of the Big Six leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, I helped plan the March on Washington. Ithe youngest speaker at the eventhad to alter his speech in order to please other organizers, but still delivered a powerful oration that declared, We all recognize the f act that if any radical social, political and economic changes are to take place in our society, the people, the masses, must bring them about.As you can see I did a lot to help african americans get their rights and it is my proudest accomplishment (3)best strategy for change and am I willing to work with white people I would not mind working with anyone as long as they have the same ideals as me and want the best for all races then I don't care if they are white,asian,mexican,or anything else.I think the best strategy to obtain the rights we want is through non-violence.I am proud to call myself a freedom rider and what that means is that I participated in Freedom Rides, bus trips through the American South in 1961 to protest segregated bus terminals. Freedom Riders tried to use "whites-only" restrooms and lunch counters at bus stations in Alabama, South Carolina and other Southern states.I have been arrested approximately 40 times now and that makes me sad but at the same time it shows me that our actions are being noticed by the white people. (4)Is violence ever justified? The use of violence is never justified.So many black boys and girls are getting killed because they are hurting the white people and causing riots against the police,this needs to stop immediately.The police want to show a perception of us being angry and violent people,and that's exactly what they get when we kill and start riots.I believe that the best way to protest is through non-violence because when we get media coverage the best thing for us would be to make us look like the victim.If the white people see us eating at a diner and the police are beating us and screaming at us it makes the police look bad but if we revolt against the police then it makes the police look like the victim.Non-violence is the best way for all things and we violence is never justified.