Donna Brazile Pays Emotional Tribute to John Lewis: We Are Here Because of His Sacrifice

Former DNC chair Donna Brazile and National Urban League President Marc Morial joined Fox News anchor Arthel Neville Sunday for an emotional segment paying tribute to John Lewis.

Lewis’ funeral procession took him one last time across the Edmund Pettus Bridge from Selma to Montgomery. The civil rights legend will lie in state at the Alabama capitol before traveling to Washington D.C. later this week.

Morial talked about how emotional it was to watch the procession for a man “being given a very well-deserved hero’s home-going.” He said that looking back on what Lewis faced in the 1960s highlights “an unacceptable repeat of this that took place in the 1960s, the challenge to peaceful protesters, the militarization of the right to protest in many American cities.”

He also recalled how at the time people looked at Lewis and others like a “villain” and how it speaks to the “justness and morality” of their cause that they are now lauded across the political spectrum as heroes and icons for fighting for justice.

Brazile recalled meeting Lewis years ago while working on the campaign to make Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday a national holiday. “John Lewis had one of the biggest hearts that I’ve ever seen and I’ve met many of Dr. King’s contemporaries.”

An emotional Brazile continued:

“He was humble, grateful, and when I went up to work on Capitol Hill, Mr. Lewis always invited us over to the Cannon Building, he would always have those Georgia peanuts, of course, a Coca-Cola, and he was just one of the best. It was as if he was always one of us and weelong together. He will be remembered for never, ever leaving the call of justice. He will be remembered for fight for freedom for voting rights for all. He will be remembered as a kind soul, a man who just believe in God and had the faith of his people and of his country to turn a corner toward justice, and so thank you, John Lewis, thank you for your service, thank you for your sacrifice.”

Brazile referenced Neville and Morial as well as she added, “Thank you for making it possible for all of us — all three of us Louisianians — and those who wanted to march for justice and equality to be here. Because of his sacrifice, Marc, Arthel, we are here and now we must continue his work.”

Morial and Neville agreed, with Neville adding, “We must, and we must do it in the strides of humility in which he marched and will continue to now march into the glorious skies, as we know he will sit there with the angels in heaven.”

You can watch above, via Fox News.