Navy christens USNS John Lewis on anniversary of civil rights icon's death
With the breaking of a bottle of sparkling wine across its bow, the first in a class of Navy oiler ships was christened the USNS John Lewis in San Diego on the one year anniversary of the longtime US congressman's death.
"It's fitting that we honor John Lewis with this formidable ship, because John Lewis was a warrior. One of the mottos of the Navy is 'Semper Fortis' -- 'Always Courageous' -- and John Lewis was indeed always courageous," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who lead a congressional delegation to the event on Saturday. "This ship will be a beacon to the world reminding all who see it of the persistence and courage of John Lewis."
Lewis -- the son of sharecroppers who survived a brutal beating by police during a landmark 1965 march in Selma, Alabama -- served as the US representative for Georgia's 5th Congressional District for more than three decades and was widely seen as a moral conscience of Congress because of his decades-long embodiment of the nonviolent fight for civil rights. The Democrat's passionate oratory was backed by a long record of action that included, by his count, more than 40 arrests while demonstrating against racial and social injustice.
Members of the late congressman's family were also in attendance Saturday.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/navy-christens-usns-john-lewis-on-anniversary-of-civil-rights-icon-s-death/ar-AAMgRNW
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