The ship’s sponsor, actor-activist Alfre Woodard Spencer, joyfully smashed a bottle of Champagne against the hull of the 742-foot long ship. “This ship will be a beacon to the world, reminding all who see it of the persistence and courage of John Lewis,” Pelosi said. Mabus said at the time that he would name the first of the new oilers after civil rights leaders. And so that’s why I’ve named ships the Medgar Evers, Cesar Chavez, John Lewis, the Harvey Milk. Lewis adhered to his commitment to nonviolence and helped bring international attention to the civil rights movement, which in turn helped lead Congress to approve the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 18, 2021 01:18 UTC