As part of February’s Black History month, Rep. Levin hosted a live video tele-conference with special guest, Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, with students from Roseville and Southfield High Schools to discuss the lessons learned form the Civil Rights Movement. Mr. Levin and Mr. Lewis first met back in the early 1970s when they worked together in Mississippi registering voters, and today continue their work together as Members of the House Ways and Means Committee.

In a three-way video teleconference 40 students in Roseville and Southfield listened to Mr. Lewis describe his childhood and his experience as a young leader in the civil rights movement. He conveyed a childhood story of when he and his brothers and sister would go into the little town of Troy to see a movie, all the black children would have to go upstairs and sit in the balcony, and all the white children could go down stairs and sit on the first floor. He would then ask his parents, grandparents, and great grandparents .. “why segregation? Why racial discrimination.” And they would say, “That’s the way it is. Don’t get in trouble. Don’t get in the way.”

But one day when Mr. Lewis was only 15 years old, he heard the voice of Martin Luther King Jr., on an old radio. Dr. King was talking about Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. He was talking about the ability of a committed, determined people to make a difference in our society. When Mr. Lewis heard Dr. King’s voice, Mr. Lewis felt like he was talking directly to him. He knew then that it was possible to strike a blow at segregation and racial discrimination. “I decided to get in trouble. I decided to get in the way. But it was good trouble. It was necessary trouble,” Mr. Lewis recalled.

The March 7th live video tele-conference marked the 41st Anniversary of Bloody Sunday – the date hundreds of black demonstrators were chased and beaten by authorities as they attempted to cross a bridge on a march from Selma to Montgomery to directly appeal to Governor Wallace. Mr. Lewis’ up-close experience as one of those demonstrators taught him a life lesson about standing up for his own rights. Despite these beatings and moments of violence, President Johnson convened a special joint session of Congress just two weeks later that paved the way to the passage of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Students participating from the two schools were able to interact with Rep. Levin and Rep. Lewis by asking questions about a variety of topics. Students were very interested in asking Mr. Levin and Mr. Lewis if they thought the Civil Rights Movement has had an impact on more young people voting. Students were also curious to know how the movement is perceived today and what it means for younger African-Americans. Finally, students inquired about another important issue – Affirmative Action and how the Civil Rights movement has impacted this area. Mr. Levin and Mr. Lewis agreed, however, that the movement is not over and will continue on with the next generation.