Congressman John Lewis shares civil rights movement experiences with Douglass High students

Douglass High exposes students to local and national leaders on a regular basis. Recently, students in Miriam Archibong’s American government class learned about Capitol Hill and the civil rights movement, courtesy of a visit from U.S. Rep. John Lewis.

Congressman Lewis, who represents the district where Douglass is located, has served in Congress for more than 20 years. He joined the civil rights movement as a teenager and told students that his involvement in movement and American politics was “a down payment – a major down payment on the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.”

A few weeks earlier, Brian Leary, president of the Atlanta BeltLine, also visited Archibong’s class to explain how the project would affect transportation, green space and affordable housing, particularly in the community surrounding Douglass. Leary also discussed opportunities for students to play a direct role in improving and maintaining the BeltLine.

Through these living lessons, APS students get to carve their journey to shaping the success story for Atlanta and the country.