They entered Congress together in 1987. Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D., Md. 7th) joins Tom to reflect on the legacy of his friend, the late civil rights icon, Representative John Lewis, who died July 17 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
John Lewis's body will lie in state at the US Capitol next week, with a public viewing that will take place outdoors because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a joint press release from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell .
The release said an invitation-only arrival ceremony will be held in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday at 1:30 p.m., and members of the public will be able to pay their respects outside of the building on Monday and Tuesday.
The joint release noted that because of COVID-19 concerns, Congressman Lewis will lie in state at the top of the East Front Steps of the U.S. Capitol for the public viewing, and the public will file past on the East Plaza.
According to the release, Lewis' family will provide details about additional memorial arrangements, including a procession through Washington, D.C., "where members of the public will also be able to pay their respects in a socially-distant manner."
The family is requesting that people do not travel to Washington from other parts of the country to pay their respects in person, due to the pandemic. Instead, they are encouraging people to post virtual tributes online using the hashtags #BelovedCommunity and #HumanDignity.
