Date: 2024-06-10 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00019308
Leadership
Congessman John Lewis
Cartoonists salute the John Lewis they knew or turned to for inspiration
Peter Burgess
Mike Luckovich knew Rep. John Lewis for a quarter-century, and the lives of the Atlanta cartoonist and Georgia congressman would inevitably cross in warm ways — sometimes through the expression of art. The first time they met, they were seated next to each other at a dinner in their shared state. “He told me a story about how as a kid in Alabama, he’d go out to their chicken coop and preach to the chickens,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution cartoonist says. “I grabbed a pen and piece of paper and sketched the scene [and] gave it to him. “I can’t remember the caption, but I remember he laughed,” he recalls fondly of Lewis, who died Friday at 80. Some years after that meeting, the Pulitzer-winning cartoonist drew a cartoon of the civil rights icon as the prophet Moses saying, “Let my people vote.” “I didn’t realize he’d hung it outside his office,” he says on Monday, “until a friend of mine sent me pictures.” Lewis, a Democrat, also once sent Luckovich a U.S. flag that had flown over the Capitol building. This is a drawing i did of Rep. Lewis as Moses saying, 'let my people vote.' pic.twitter.com/55pfqk3Jve — mike luckovich (@mluckovichajc) July 18, 2020 So to salute the lives of Lewis and fellow civil rights leader C.T. Vivian, who also passed away Friday, Luckovich drew the two nonviolent-protest figures soaring upward on a dove above Black Lives Matter demonstrations; the caption says, “Freedom Riders.” Lewis “was strong and courageous and, at the same time, such a sweet man,” Luckovich says. Another Southern cartoonist, J.D. Crowe, met Lewis five years ago, in Mobile, Ala., and he drew a memorial cartoon of the congressman as “the face of patriotism and courage.”
(J.D. Crowe/Alabama Media Group) “John Lewis was ‘good trouble’ his whole life. Lewis had the presence of a lion before he even spoke a word, and when he spoke, gracious, the heavens opened up,” says Crowe, the Alabama Media Group cartoonist who, like Lewis, is a recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Award, which honors books and journalism centering on human rights and social justice. Virginia-based cartoonist Joe Sutliff met Lewis three years ago at the ceremony for the Herblock Prize for editorial cartooning, immediately after the congressman delivered the event’s annual lecture at the Library of Congress. Sutliff identified himself as “a small-time political cartoonist” and said: “I don’t do that much” of influence. But Sutliff says Lewis “looked at me with that [inspiring] look and said: ‘But you do something. Thank you for what you do. Now go do some more.’ ” Sutliff drew a memorial cartoon to reflect the respect and awe he felt in that moment.
(Joe Sutliff/Joe Sutliff.com) Lalo Alcaraz, the California-based cartoonist, author and Latino-rights activist, feels inspired by Lewis’s legacy. He rendered Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala. — which the congressman crossed on “Bloody Sunday” in 1965 and so many times after in historic commemoration of that tide-turning protest — as John Lewis Bridge. “John Lewis saw the big picture, fought for equality in his time, but also handed off the mission to the generations after his,” says Alcaraz, a 2020 Pulitzer Prize finalist. “I felt it was important to be forward-thinking, like John Lewis, [so] I drew a tribute within a tribute.”
(Lalo Alcaraz/Andrews McMeel Syndication) Nate Powell, who illustrated Lewis’s best-selling memoir trilogy “March,” which was co-authored by Andrew Aydin, says a tribute like Alcaraz’s is “visually stunning.” Powell appreciates the significance of symbolically named monuments and structures, but the artist emphasizes that there is “urgent work to be done in Congressman Lewis’s name.” “We need substantial legal protections and enforcement against active voter-suppression measures,” Powell says. “And we need them now, ‘or make us all witnesses to the lynching of democracy,’ to echo John Lewis himself from 1963.” Here is how some other artists paid tribute: Kevin Siers (Charlotte Observer): (Kevin Siers/Charlotte Observer/CagleCartoons.com) (Kevin Siers/Charlotte Observer/CagleCartoons.com) Steve Sack (Minneapolis Star Tribune): (Steve Sack/Minneapolis Star Tribune/CagleCartoons.com) (Steve Sack/Minneapolis Star Tribune/CagleCartoons.com) Read more: How John Lewis’s masterful illustrated memoir is a shining torch for the next generation How Rep. John Lewis tries to inspire young people to ‘stand up, speak out' How a cosplaying congressman became the hit of Comic-Con 24 Comments Michael Cavna Writer/artist/visual storyteller Michael Cavna is creator of the Comic Riffs column and graphic-novel reviewer for The Washington Post's Book World. Follow More from The Post Image without a caption Opinion John Lewis’s funeral was a balm to the soul of America A saint goes marching home. Image without a caption Obama delivers call to action in eulogy for Lewis, likens tactics by Trump and administration to those by racist Southern leaders who fought civil rights In an essay written shortly before he died, the congressman recounted that he came to Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington last month to see for himself that ‘truth is marching on.’ Image without a caption Perspective I interviewed John Lewis 45 years ago. His commitment to voting rights never wavered. The Georgia Democrat was a constant in the tough, unending battle to make America the democracy it struggles to be. Image without a caption Opinion Trump (again) uses housing as a racial wedge His latest tweet is a naked appeal to segregationists. Image without a caption Perspective The lies our textbooks told my generation of Virginians about slavery State leaders went to great lengths to instill their gauzy version of the Lost Cause in young minds Today's WorldView newsletter Analysis on the most important global story of the day, top reads, interesting ideas and opinions to know, in your inbox weekdays. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy PAID PROMOTED STORIES One Thing All Cheaters Have In Common, Brace Yourself One Thing All Cheaters Have In Common, Brace Yourself www.peoplewhiz.com [Pics] When Engineers Drained The Niagara Falls, They Saw This Terrible Sight [Pics] When Engineers Drained The Niagara Falls, They Saw This Terrible Sight Maternity Week Actors Who Asked to be Written Out of TV Shows Actors Who Asked to be Written Out of TV Shows Investing.com [Pics] Ellen Asked Blake Shelton A Personal Question And It Didn't End Well [Pics] Ellen Asked Blake Shelton A Personal Question And It Didn't End Well Magellan Times Born Into Billions: Meet America's Richest Heirs. Born Into Billions: Meet America's Richest Heirs. Investing.com The Most Experienced Attorneys In Stroudsburg. Take A Look The Most Experienced Attorneys In Stroudsburg. Take A Look Attorneys | Sponsored Listings Recommended by Most ReadEntertainment Image without a caption 1 Review In ‘Memorial Drive,’ Natasha Trethewey reclaims her mother’s life from the man who took it 2 Image without a caption Readers have many opinions on how to cull your book collection — and also why you never should 3 Image without a caption Review Five new thrillers and mysteries that are perfect for the beach — or the bunker 4 Image without a caption African American Museum site removes ‘whiteness’ chart after criticism from Trump Jr. and conservative media 5 Image without a caption Perspective In turbulent times, culling my book collection gave me the illusion of control. Then the dilemmas began multiplying. Economy & business email alerts Important breaking news emails on the issues around the economy and business. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Podcast Post Reports Promo Image The Washington Post's daily podcast: unparalleled reports, expert insight, clear analysis. For your ears. Add to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts washingtonpost.com © 1996-2020 The Washington Post