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The Rev. Joseph Lowery speaks during the Let Freedom Ring ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial August 28, 2013 in Washington, D.C. The event was to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Justice advocates celebrated the achievements of Rev. Joseph Lowery on Saturday following news that the civil rights legend had died.
"Our beloved, Rev. Dr. Joseph Echols Lowery, made his transition peacefully at home at 10 pm, Friday, March 27, at the age of 98. He was surrounded by his daughters," a statement from Lowery's family said.
Dubbed the "dean" of the civil rights movement, Lowery's activism spanned decades. His achievements included co-founding, along with ally Martin Luther King, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), leading a successful bus boycott in Mobile, Alabama, and delivering the demands of the Selma-to-Montgomery March to then-Alabama Gov. George Wallace. Lowery also fought for environment justice and voting rights, denounced militarism, and, as United Methodist minister, was a celebrated preacher.
At age 91, at an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, he said, "We ain't going back."
"We've come too far, marched too long, prayed too hard, wept too bitterly, bled too profusely and died too young, to let anybody turn back the clock on our journey to justice," Lowery said.
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was truly a civil rights hero.\u201d— Lawyers' Committee \u260e\ufe0f866-OUR-VOTE (@Lawyers' Committee \u260e\ufe0f866-OUR-VOTE) 1585406322
\u201c#JosephLowery was a founding member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference + dedicated his life to the pursuit of #justice. President @BarackObama honored him with a Presidential Medal of Honor in 2009.\n\nWe are indebted to his legacy & pray he will Rest In Peace \ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffe. (2/)\u201d— Nat'l Urban League (@Nat'l Urban League) 1585369956
\u201cA towering figure and icon has left us. Rest in Power #JosephLowery https://t.co/8KWTYH1mz8\u201d— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sherrilyn Ifill) 1585370347
\u201cTonight, the great Reverend Joseph E. Lowery transitioned from earth to eternity. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. He was a champion for civil rights, a challenger of injustice, a dear friend to the King family. \n\nThank you, sir. \n\n[\ud83d\udcf8: MLK, Lowery, Wyatt Tee Walker]\u201d— The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center (@The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center) 1585365963
\u201cDeeply saddened about the loss of Rev. Joseph Lowery. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone who was touched by his incredible legacy as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Rest in Power, Reverend. https://t.co/AXcURrQYJX\u201d— Rep. Barbara Lee (@Rep. Barbara Lee) 1585412595
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was a civil rights giant\n\nMarched from Selma to Montgomery\nCo-founded SCLC\nAide to MLK\nHelped coordinate Montgomery Bus Boycott\nFounded Georgia People\u2019s Agenda\nDelivered benediction at Obama\u2019s inauguration\n\u201cDean of the Civil Rights Movement\u201d\n#rip #JosephLowery\u201d— Kristen Clarke (@Kristen Clarke) 1585399526
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was a courageous supporter of justice. He was one of the early supporter of the Palestine Human Rights Campaign & spoke at our \u201879 Conference on returning from Lebanon & meeting w/ Arafat to protest the US \u201cno talk\u201d to the PLO policy. https://t.co/WHjIjE6a8q\u201d— James J. Zogby (@James J. Zogby) 1585410647
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was a titan of civil rights. He leaves behind an incredible legacy of fighting for justice that we must carry forward every day. Our thoughts are with the Lowery family.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1585415938
Counted among Lowery's achievements was being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by then-President Barack Obama.
Lowery had given the benediction at Obama's 2009 inauguration months earlier, saying, in part, "Now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance."
"And as we leave this mountain top," he continued, "help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family."
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Justice advocates celebrated the achievements of Rev. Joseph Lowery on Saturday following news that the civil rights legend had died.
"Our beloved, Rev. Dr. Joseph Echols Lowery, made his transition peacefully at home at 10 pm, Friday, March 27, at the age of 98. He was surrounded by his daughters," a statement from Lowery's family said.
Dubbed the "dean" of the civil rights movement, Lowery's activism spanned decades. His achievements included co-founding, along with ally Martin Luther King, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), leading a successful bus boycott in Mobile, Alabama, and delivering the demands of the Selma-to-Montgomery March to then-Alabama Gov. George Wallace. Lowery also fought for environment justice and voting rights, denounced militarism, and, as United Methodist minister, was a celebrated preacher.
At age 91, at an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, he said, "We ain't going back."
"We've come too far, marched too long, prayed too hard, wept too bitterly, bled too profusely and died too young, to let anybody turn back the clock on our journey to justice," Lowery said.
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was truly a civil rights hero.\u201d— Lawyers' Committee \u260e\ufe0f866-OUR-VOTE (@Lawyers' Committee \u260e\ufe0f866-OUR-VOTE) 1585406322
\u201c#JosephLowery was a founding member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference + dedicated his life to the pursuit of #justice. President @BarackObama honored him with a Presidential Medal of Honor in 2009.\n\nWe are indebted to his legacy & pray he will Rest In Peace \ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffe. (2/)\u201d— Nat'l Urban League (@Nat'l Urban League) 1585369956
\u201cA towering figure and icon has left us. Rest in Power #JosephLowery https://t.co/8KWTYH1mz8\u201d— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sherrilyn Ifill) 1585370347
\u201cTonight, the great Reverend Joseph E. Lowery transitioned from earth to eternity. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. He was a champion for civil rights, a challenger of injustice, a dear friend to the King family. \n\nThank you, sir. \n\n[\ud83d\udcf8: MLK, Lowery, Wyatt Tee Walker]\u201d— The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center (@The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center) 1585365963
\u201cDeeply saddened about the loss of Rev. Joseph Lowery. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone who was touched by his incredible legacy as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Rest in Power, Reverend. https://t.co/AXcURrQYJX\u201d— Rep. Barbara Lee (@Rep. Barbara Lee) 1585412595
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was a civil rights giant\n\nMarched from Selma to Montgomery\nCo-founded SCLC\nAide to MLK\nHelped coordinate Montgomery Bus Boycott\nFounded Georgia People\u2019s Agenda\nDelivered benediction at Obama\u2019s inauguration\n\u201cDean of the Civil Rights Movement\u201d\n#rip #JosephLowery\u201d— Kristen Clarke (@Kristen Clarke) 1585399526
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was a courageous supporter of justice. He was one of the early supporter of the Palestine Human Rights Campaign & spoke at our \u201879 Conference on returning from Lebanon & meeting w/ Arafat to protest the US \u201cno talk\u201d to the PLO policy. https://t.co/WHjIjE6a8q\u201d— James J. Zogby (@James J. Zogby) 1585410647
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was a titan of civil rights. He leaves behind an incredible legacy of fighting for justice that we must carry forward every day. Our thoughts are with the Lowery family.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1585415938
Counted among Lowery's achievements was being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by then-President Barack Obama.
Lowery had given the benediction at Obama's 2009 inauguration months earlier, saying, in part, "Now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance."
"And as we leave this mountain top," he continued, "help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family."
Justice advocates celebrated the achievements of Rev. Joseph Lowery on Saturday following news that the civil rights legend had died.
"Our beloved, Rev. Dr. Joseph Echols Lowery, made his transition peacefully at home at 10 pm, Friday, March 27, at the age of 98. He was surrounded by his daughters," a statement from Lowery's family said.
Dubbed the "dean" of the civil rights movement, Lowery's activism spanned decades. His achievements included co-founding, along with ally Martin Luther King, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), leading a successful bus boycott in Mobile, Alabama, and delivering the demands of the Selma-to-Montgomery March to then-Alabama Gov. George Wallace. Lowery also fought for environment justice and voting rights, denounced militarism, and, as United Methodist minister, was a celebrated preacher.
At age 91, at an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, he said, "We ain't going back."
"We've come too far, marched too long, prayed too hard, wept too bitterly, bled too profusely and died too young, to let anybody turn back the clock on our journey to justice," Lowery said.
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was truly a civil rights hero.\u201d— Lawyers' Committee \u260e\ufe0f866-OUR-VOTE (@Lawyers' Committee \u260e\ufe0f866-OUR-VOTE) 1585406322
\u201c#JosephLowery was a founding member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference + dedicated his life to the pursuit of #justice. President @BarackObama honored him with a Presidential Medal of Honor in 2009.\n\nWe are indebted to his legacy & pray he will Rest In Peace \ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffe. (2/)\u201d— Nat'l Urban League (@Nat'l Urban League) 1585369956
\u201cA towering figure and icon has left us. Rest in Power #JosephLowery https://t.co/8KWTYH1mz8\u201d— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sherrilyn Ifill) 1585370347
\u201cTonight, the great Reverend Joseph E. Lowery transitioned from earth to eternity. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. He was a champion for civil rights, a challenger of injustice, a dear friend to the King family. \n\nThank you, sir. \n\n[\ud83d\udcf8: MLK, Lowery, Wyatt Tee Walker]\u201d— The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center (@The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center) 1585365963
\u201cDeeply saddened about the loss of Rev. Joseph Lowery. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone who was touched by his incredible legacy as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Rest in Power, Reverend. https://t.co/AXcURrQYJX\u201d— Rep. Barbara Lee (@Rep. Barbara Lee) 1585412595
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was a civil rights giant\n\nMarched from Selma to Montgomery\nCo-founded SCLC\nAide to MLK\nHelped coordinate Montgomery Bus Boycott\nFounded Georgia People\u2019s Agenda\nDelivered benediction at Obama\u2019s inauguration\n\u201cDean of the Civil Rights Movement\u201d\n#rip #JosephLowery\u201d— Kristen Clarke (@Kristen Clarke) 1585399526
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was a courageous supporter of justice. He was one of the early supporter of the Palestine Human Rights Campaign & spoke at our \u201879 Conference on returning from Lebanon & meeting w/ Arafat to protest the US \u201cno talk\u201d to the PLO policy. https://t.co/WHjIjE6a8q\u201d— James J. Zogby (@James J. Zogby) 1585410647
\u201cRev. Joseph Lowery was a titan of civil rights. He leaves behind an incredible legacy of fighting for justice that we must carry forward every day. Our thoughts are with the Lowery family.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1585415938
Counted among Lowery's achievements was being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by then-President Barack Obama.
Lowery had given the benediction at Obama's 2009 inauguration months earlier, saying, in part, "Now, Lord, in the complex arena of human relations, help us to make choices on the side of love, not hate; on the side of inclusion, not exclusion; tolerance, not intolerance."
"And as we leave this mountain top," he continued, "help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family."