House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) fought back tears while delivering remarks honoring Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a civil rights icon.
During Lewis’ memorial on Thursday, Pelosi spoke to the relationship he had with other members of Congress and his leadership throughout his life.
Pelosi recognized Lewis’ efforts to convince both senior and freshman members of Congress they were his “best friends.”
As she illustrated the scene of a flag flying overhead as Lewis died, Pelosi became emotional.
“We come with a flag flown over the Capitol the night that John passed. When this flag flew there, it said goodbye. It waved goodbye to John. Our friend, our mentor, our colleague. This beautiful man that we all had the privilege of serving with in the Congress of the United States,” Pelosi said.
Watch her remarks below:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi tears up in emotional remembrance of John Lewis: "We come with a flag flown over the Capitol the night that John passed. When this flag flew there…it waved goodbye to John. Our friend, our mentor, our colleague. This beautiful man." https://t.co/sVteeuYRLu pic.twitter.com/u2Pf46Ka03
— ABC News (@ABC) July 30, 2020
She went on to offer condolences to Lewis’ family.
Pelosi additionally described the impact Lewis had on Americans.
“When he spoke, people listened. When he led, people followed. We loved him very much. As his official family, we mourn him greatly. He shared so much about his love for his district, his family,” Pelosi said.
She called Lewis “humorous” as he “loved” to dance and make “us” laugh.
Pelosi explained her granddaughter asked Lewis if he ever sang in the civil rights movement.
“He said, ‘They asked me to sing solo one time. So low so that nobody could hear me,'” Pelosi said.
Check out more of her comments below:
"When he spoke, people listened. When he led, people followed."
— The View (@TheView) July 30, 2020
Speaker Nancy Pelosi remembers the late Rep. John Lewis. https://t.co/FJ91nhDL1m pic.twitter.com/bqJLcTJAz9
Lewis died on July 17 after battling cancer, he was 80 years old, as IJR previously reported.
He served 17 terms in Congress after being elected in 1986. Before he was elected to Congress, he became a civil rights leader and helped Martin Luther King Jr. with organizing the March on Washington.
Lewis penned an op-ed published posthumously titled “Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation,” as IJR previously reported.
He urged Americans to “answer the highest calling” of their hearts and “stand up” for what they believe.