John Lewis, Congressman And Civil Rights Icon, Dead At 80 — Former President Barack Obama Leads Tribute To Youngest And Last Survivor Of The ‘Big Six’ Activists, Which Included Martin Luther King
John Lewis, a civil rights icon, who was close to Reverend Martin Luther King and fought for 50 years to improve race relations in America, has died at the age of 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Lewis, a true giant in American history, was also a 17-term congressman from the state of Georgia.