Obama Gives Eulogy for John Lewis

The nation's first Black president gave the eulogy Thursday for one of the civil rights fighters who made his path to the White House possible. In his address, Barack Obama said the late Rep. John Lewis of Georgia would be a "founding father" of a better America. Highlights:

• “Some day when we do finish that long journey towards freedom, when we do form a more perfect union, whether it's years from now or decades or even if it takes another two centuries, John Lewis will be a founding father of that fuller, fairer, better America," said Obama, per the AP.

• “Bull Connor may be gone, but today we witness with our own eyes police officers kneeling on the necks of Black Americans,” Obama said, per NBC News. “George Wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators.”
• The best way to honor Lewis is to pass a new Voting Rights Act named after him, said Obama, reports Axios. "You want to honor John, let’s honor him by revitalizing the law that he was willing to die for," he said.

(Lewis wrote an essay that was published posthumously.)