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when did john lewis die

John Lewis, the renowned civil rights leader and U.S. Congressman, passed away on July 17, 2020.

He was 80 years old at the time of his death in Atlanta, Georgia, following a battle with pancreatic cancer diagnosed in late 2019.

Key Life Milestones

Born on February 21, 1940, near Troy, Alabama, Lewis rose from humble sharecropper roots to become a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement.

  • Co-founded and chaired the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).
  • Delivered one of the youngest speeches at the 1963 March on Washington.
  • Led the 1965 "Bloody Sunday" march across Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge, where he suffered a skull fracture from police brutality—an event that galvanized national support for the Voting Rights Act.

Lewis served in Congress for 33 years (1987–2020), representing Georgia's 5th district, earning the nickname "conscience of Congress" for his advocacy on voting rights, poverty, and equality.

Circumstances of Death

Lewis announced his stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis on December 29, 2019, yet continued public service amid the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests.

"Consciousness forever folded in memory of one of the greatest heroes our nation has ever produced," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated upon his passing.

He died peacefully at his home, surrounded by family, as confirmed across major outlets like Britannica, PBS, and CNN on July 17, 2020.

Legacy and Tributes

Lewis authored the acclaimed graphic novel trilogy March , sharing his story and earning a National Book Award.

His mantra, "Get in good trouble, necessary trouble," inspired activists even after his death, with his body lying in state at the Capitol—a rare honor.

TL;DR: John Lewis died July 17, 2020, from pancreatic cancer at age 80, leaving an indelible mark on civil rights.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.