Shortly after U.S. Rep John Lewis passed away on July 17, 2020, the Minority Caucus of the Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County Council and a group of community leaders started talking about the idea of renaming Nashville’s Fifth Avenue in memory of the late civil rights leader
Over several weeks, the group settled on proceeding with permanently changing Fifth Avenue to Rep. John Lewis Way to recognize Lewis, who began his lifelong crusade for civil rights and civic justice while a student at the American Baptist Theological Seminary and Fisk University.
On Nov. 5, 2020, the Metro Council approved the ordinance to create Rep. John Lewis Way, beginning at the corner of Jefferson Street and Fifth through downtown to the corner of Oak Street at the historic City Cemetery.
To celebrate his legacy, the Annual Rep. John Lewis Way March will take place on Saturday, July 19th at 8 AM. It will start at the corner of John Lewis Way and Jefferson Street and end with a brief program at the National Museum of African American Music.
