Nashville, TN (TN Tribune)–On July 17, 2021, the City of Nashville will formally dedicate Rep. John Lewis Way, the former Fifth Avenue, from Jefferson Street in Germantown to Oak Street on Rutledge Hill at the historic Nashville City Cemetery.
The late congressman and civil rights pioneer began his activist journey as a student in Nashville, serving as a leader in the momentous lunch counter sit-ins that lead to Nashville becoming the first Southern city to begin the desegregation of public places. While a student, Lewis served as one of the 13 original “Freedom Riders” before later embarking on a political career.
Rep. John Lewis Way is not only the name of a street in Nashville, and it is a daily reminder of the way John Lewis advocated for equal justice throughout his life.
Quote: “Speak up, speak out, get in the way … when you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” – John Lewis
n Saturday, July 17, the city of Nashville will formally dedicate Rep. John Lewis Way with a celebration that includes a march, a dedication event on Broadway and a celebration at the historic Ryman Auditorium.
In late 2020, the Council of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County approved an ordinance to rename Fifth Avenue in memory of the late Congressman and civil rights legend. He began his work on civil rights while a student at the American Baptist Theological Seminary (now American Baptist College) and later at Fisk University
Complete details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Rep. John Lewis Way Street Dedication/The Commemorative March
9 a.m., The Rep. John Lewis Way dedication will be held at the corner of Jefferson Street and Rep. John Lewis Way with remarks from Nashville Mayor John Cooper and Rep. John Lewis Way Committee Chair Zulfat Suara. The march will begin immediately following the dedication and conclude at the Ryman Auditorium.
All are welcome to join the committee and city officials on the 1.2-mile walk. Free parking is available at the Nashville Sounds Stadium, located at 800-858 John Lewis Way N. Parking is available from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and all vehicles must be removed by 3:30 p.m. for fans to park for a Sounds baseball game.
Rep. John Lewis Way Street Dedication/The Commemorative March
9 a.m., The Rep. John Lewis Way dedication will be held at the corner of Jefferson Street and Rep. John Lewis Way with remarks from Nashville Mayor John Cooper and Rep. John Lewis Way Committee Chair Zulfat Suara. The march will begin immediately following the dedication and conclude at the Ryman Auditorium.
All are welcome to join the committee and city officials on the 1.2-mile walk. Free parking is available at the Nashville Sounds Stadium, located at 800-858 John Lewis Way N. Parking is available from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and all vehicles must be removed by 3:30 p.m. for fans to park for a Sounds baseball game.
The Celebration
11:00 a.m. A celebration at the historic Ryman Auditorium, 116 Rep. John Lewis Way, will feature remarks from honored guests and a reception.
“Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society. The work of love, peace, and justice will always be necessary, until their realism and their imperative takes hold of our imagination, crowds out any dream of hatred or revenge, and fills up our existence with their power.”
― John Lewis, in his book, “Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change”
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