A new bronze statue of civil rights leader and former congressman John Lewis has replaced a Confederate monument in Georgia. The sculpture, created by artist Basil Watson, was installed in front of the DeKalb Courthouse in Decatur and will be officially unveiled on August 24.
The DeKalb Courthouse, located in the congressional district that Lewis represented for 17 consecutive terms, had previously been adorned with a 30-foot stone obelisk dedicated to Confederate soldiers and sailors. This monument, erected in 1908, bore inscriptions glorifying the virtues of the Confederacy.
Following the wave of protests and calls for racial justice that swept the nation after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the obelisk was deemed a public safety issue and ultimately removed. The new statue of John Lewis, standing at 12 feet tall, portrays the civil rights icon with his hands over his heart—a gesture symbolizing love and compassion.
John Lewis, born in 1940 to sharecroppers in Alabama, dedicated his life to advocating for the rights of Black Americans. He played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, co-founding the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and participating in historic events such as the March on Washington and the Selma to Montgomery marches.
In 1986, Lewis was elected to Congress, where he served for over three decades. Known for his ability to mobilize and inspire others, Lewis used his platform to champion important causes and fight for justice. His passing in 2020 marked the end of an era, but his legacy lives on through the new statue that now stands in place of the Confederate monument.
The installation of John Lewis’ statue in Decatur serves as a powerful reminder of his immense contributions to America and the world. As Basil Watson aptly puts it, honoring John Lewis is a way to acknowledge his lasting impact on society and his unwavering commitment to equality and justice.
