DECATUR, GA – A 12-foot-tall bronze statue commemorating the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis now stands in front of Decatur’s historic courthouse for the world to see.
In this Georgia district, just outside Atlanta, where Lewis served 17 consecutive terms as a congressman, the ceremonial unveiling ceremony took place on August 24, 2024. Hundreds came to witness the historic event, many lined up at Decatur Square hours before the 11 a.m. ceremony.
Several dignitaries recognized Lewis as a hero of progress, including ambassadors and former Atlanta mayors Andrew Young and Lucy McBath; U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock and Congresswoman Nikema Williams; Rabbi Rachael Miller’s New Birth Church pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant; DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond; DeKalb Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson, the chair of the Board of Commissioners, and her husband, Congressman Hank Johnson. DeKalb CEO-elect Lorraine Cochran Johnson, former DeKalb Commissioner Jeff Rader and Atlanta civil rights activist Xernona Clayton, founder and CEO of the Trumpet Awards, were also among the dignitaries. Rashad Richey, a nationally known radio talk show host, political analyst and university professor and lecturer, served as master of ceremonies.
Lewis was remembered as a trailblazer who got into “a lot of trouble” for his nonviolent protests for civil rights and human rights. Along with other well-known civil rights activists, he led the groundbreaking march that became known as “Bloody Sunday,” when peaceful protesters were beaten and attacked by police on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in 1965. Lewis was 25 years old at the time. He developed into a great leader who always pushed for progress. He died in July 2020 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
The statue of John Lewis replaces a Confederate obelisk that stood in Decatur Square for more than a century before a judge ordered its removal in 2020. 
Sculptor Basil Watson Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/ocgnews.com
Famous sculptor Basil Watson created the John Lewis memorial. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Watson immigrated to the United States in 2002, where he set up his studio and home in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
The statue depicts Congressman Lewis with his hands over his heart, a gesture he often used to express his love and compassion for the community he served.
The John Lewis Commemorative Task Force, formed in August 2020 by Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson and Decatur City Mayor Patti Garrett, commissioned Watson to design the memorial after a worldwide search for an artist. The memorial was designed by the task force after four years of planning. The task force raised over $700,000 for the project.
Unveiling of the statue in honour of the late MP John Lewis
Photos by Andy Phelan and Cemetrius McCoy
Click below to watch DCTV’s unveiling event video:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ZbUzEP1MJrS4achd/
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