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Rep. John Lewis Recalls 1963 March On Washington

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State troopers swing billy clubs to break up a civil rights voting march in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965. John Lewis, who was then the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee is being beaten by a state trooper. (AP Photo)
State troopers swing billy clubs to break up a civil rights voting march in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965. John Lewis, who was then the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee is being beaten by a state trooper. (AP Photo)

President-elect Donald Trump is under fire after criticizing Rep. John Lewis. The longtime civil rights activist said during an interview with NBC that he didn't believe Trump was a legitimate president, and said he would not attend Friday's inauguration.

Trump took to Twitter to criticize Lewis.

Several lawmakers have criticized Trump for his comments, and defended the longtime civil rights leader.

"The president-elect stepped over a line when he attacked John Lewis as a man who is all talk and no action," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, following a breakfast honoring Martin Luther King Jr. in Boston Monday morning. "John Lewis is a man who literally put his life on the line to make this a better country, a fairer country, a country that is more open. Donald Trump hasn't put his life on the line for anyone except Donald Trump."

In 1963, Lewis was the youngest speaker on the "March On Washington" roster. He was just 23 years old, and the national chair of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. He reflected on the speech, the fight for civil rights and the ongoing fight for equality today.

This conversation is an excerpt of a 2013 interview Meghna Chakrabarti had with Rep. Lewis.

Guest

John Lewis, U.S. representative of Georgia's 5th District. He tweets @repjohnlewis

This segment aired on January 16, 2017.

Related:

Headshot of Meghna Chakrabarti

Meghna Chakrabarti Host, On Point
Meghna Chakrabarti is the host of On Point.

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