Rep. John Lewis Visits North Shore School

WINNETKA, IL — North Shore Country Day School welcomed civil-rights icon and Georgia Congressman John Lewis, and Andrew Aydin, co-author for the award-winning graphic-novel series March as its Harold H. Hines Visiting Fellows Tuesday.

The guests addressed students, faculty, staff, parents and alumni, and later spent time with the lower, middle and upper school divisions. In preparation for their visit, the entire school community read the first volume of "March".

Lewis is the U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 5th District and an American icon known for his role in the civil rights movement. Since a child, he knew he wanted to preach. He even preach to his family’s chickens (prevalent characters in the book), which led to starting school as a seminary student. He challenged illegal segregation at bus stations across the South and became the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

Lewis was the youngest featured speaker at the historic 1963 March on Washington and told NSCDS students that it was never too early to start making change, no matter their ages.

Lewis was a leader in the historic “Bloody Sunday” March in Selma, Alabama, where police brutality spurred national outrage and hastened passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He had brought an overnight bag with him, expecting to be arrested, but was met with physical attacks by Alabama state troopers. “By giving a little blood on that bridge, I helped change America,” he said.

Despite being physically beaten and arrested over 40 times, John Lewis has remained a devoted advocate of nonviolence. His legacy includes voter registration activism, service on the Atlanta City Council and over 25 years in Congress. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2011 and was the first recipient of the John F. Kennedy “Profile in Courage” Lifetime Achievement Award.

“When I was arrested, I felt free. I felt like I had crossed over,” Lewis said. “Find a way to get in the way,” he told the audience.

He created March with Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell as a way for young readers to learn history and get involved. March is now a three-book series, a #1 New York Times Bestseller and has received Robert F. Kennedy Book Award and the Coretta Scott King Book Award.

“My hope is that everyone reads this, and I would love to see the day that it is required reading in every school,” Aydin said.

Aydin is the Digital Director & Policy Advisor to Congressman Lewis. Together they spoke to Upper and Middle School students, faculty and staff and parents in the Auditorium. Afterwards, they spent time with

all of the divisions, meeting Upper and Middle School students with hard-hitting questions and Lower School students, who presented them with artwork and songs.

“I saw those signs that said ‘white men, white women, colored men, colored women, white boys, colored boys, white girls and colored girls,’” Lewis said to the sea of NSCDS audience before him when entered the Auditorium stage. But he ended with another message. “Those signs are gone and they will not return. You will only see them in a book, museum or video. Have hope. Be kind, be good and never, ever hate.”

In 1986, the Harold Hines Visiting Fellowship was established in memory of longtime member of the Board of Trustees, Harold H. Hines Jr. Mr. Hines provided exceptional leadership to North Shore as a trustee, having chaired numerous Board committees, including the Long Range Planning Committee and the 50th Anniversary Endowment Fund Campaign, as well as serving as Board Chair from 1971-1973. In addition, his three children graduated from North Shore as "Lifers" and his wife, Mary Pick Hines '49, is a distinguished alumna of the School and has served the School at the highest level for many years as a member of the Alumni Board, Benefit Board and Board of Trustees.

The Fellowship has brought distinguished individuals to our campus who have exemplified the School motto "Live and Serve." There’s a special emphasis on the ethical consideration of societal issues, giving students the opportunity to define their responsibility to society. Past Harold Hines Visiting Fellows have included former president of Yale University and Commissioner of Major League Baseball, the late A. Bartlett Giamatti, Dr. Jane Goodall, Chinese dissident Harry Wu, founder and president of Habitat for Humanity Millard Fuller, award-winning poet, essayist, fiction writer, activist and professor Marjorie Agosin and most recently founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative Bryan Stevenson.

» via North Shore Country Day School

Top photo | Rep. John Lewis and middle school student Cole (Class of '22) | Courtesy NSCDS