Lewis told the story of the Civil Rights era in the graphic novel trilogy ‘March.’
John Lewis, the Civil Rights icon who marched for racial equality in the 1960s and served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1987, passed away today at the age of 80. Lewis had been fighting stage IV pancreatic cancer since December.
The congressman from Georgia was one of the original Freedom Riders and stood against racism, desegregation and discrimination his entire life — both in the streets and then later in Congress.
He helped organize, and spoke at, the famous 1963 March on Washington, and was arrested, jailed and beaten for challenging Jim Crow laws throughout the South. He was the last surviving member of the “Big Six” Civil Rights leaders, a group that included Martin Luther King Jr., James Farmer, A. Phillip Randolph, Roy Wilkins and Whitney Young.
He was also an award-winning graphic novel writer.
Annual awards presented last night at the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention.
Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell continued to add to the awards pile last night for March: Book Three, the final chapter in the trilogy that detailed Lewis’ experiences during the Civil Rights movement, at the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention in Philadelphia. The Glyph Awards, which recognize the best in comics made by, for and about people of color, also recognized Tuskegee Heirs and IDW’s M.A.S.K. series with multiple awards.
Founded by Rich Watson, the Glyph Awards have been presented annually since 2006. This year’s nominees are listed below, with the winner in bold.