Congressman John Robert Lewis at the 89th NCSS Conference in Atlanta

I have heard Congressman John Lewis speak many times over the years and I have always been left in a better place having heard him.

Just recently his urging members of Congress not to be afraid to be on the right side of history in passing Health Reform legislation, in part, spurred the House on in an historic vote in the affirmative..220 to 215.  What he says and how he says it resonates.

And, today speaking at the opening breakfast of the National Council for the Social Studies Conference, this man called the Conscious of the Congress, out did himself.

Congressman John Lewis is more than a textbook.  He is the living example of spirit triumphant over experience.

Clearly the experience of hate as he and others faced nearly fifty years ago as they confronted the evil of segregation could have left him bitter and broken.  In fact he said he found it liberating to stand up for something that would make life better for all people.  He said no longer are we (America) a divided house, but one house and one people.  However he warned that we should never forget the sacrifice that it took to turn the country.

If it was only about experience, there would be no beauty in his story.

But, his story is about spirit.  And, as we know, Spirit triumphs over matter.

I was there for Congressman Lewis’ presentation this morning.  My report is that no visiter to this ocassion was the same after Mr. Lewis spoke. There wasn’t a dry eye among the people in the packed house of witnesses to history.

Wow.