Barack Obama’s Statement on the Passing of Congressman John Lewis

President Barack Obama with Rep. John Lewis during an event marking the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 2015. Photo: Saul Loeb/Getty Images

“He loved this country so much that he risked his life and his blood so that it might live up to its promise. And through the decades, he not only gave all of himself to the cause of freedom and justice, but inspired generations that followed to try to live up to his example.” — Barack Obama