Lewis, Lawson lead FAMU students in early voting march

As part of the final stretch of his Congressional campaign, FAMU alumnus Alfred “Al” Lawson invited civil rights legend John Lewis to come to Tallahassee and stump for him. Lewis, who represents Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, began his day with Lawson by visiting FAMU’s campus to promote early voting.

“Even before many of us could register to vote, we marched,” Lewis said in a quote published by the Tallahassee Democrat. “There’s nothing more powerful than a march in a peaceful, nonviolent fashion.”

Following a 9:30 a.m. rally in the university’s Quadrangle, Lewis and Lawson locked arms and led 300 marchers up to the Leon County Courthouse to cast early ballots. They were joined in the front row by FAMU Interim President Larry Robinson, State Rep. Alan Williams, City Commissioner Andrew Gillum, and FAMU Student Body President Marissa West.

“North Florida is honored to have civil rights champion and distinguished Congressman John Lewis join us for this important march for early voting,” Lawson said. “Many noble leaders have gone before us in order to pave the way so that we are able to march in unity to make our voices heard and our votes count by participating in the 2012 election.”

The rally and march were both nonpartisan events.

Lewis, 72, is the last surviving individual who spoke on the stage of the 1963 March on Washington during which Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.  He was among the nonviolent demonstrators who were beaten on Bloody Sunday in 1965 as they attempted to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. On that fateful Sunday, Alabama state troopers cracked Lewis’ skull as they beat him and many others who were marching in protest of voter disenfranchisement.