COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER BROOKE PINTO THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING 1350 PENNSLYVANIA AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 106 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004

January 14, 2021

Nyasha Smith, Secretary Council of the District of Columbia 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20004

Dear Secretary Smith,

Today, along with Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmembers Anita Bonds, Elissa Silverman, Christina Henderson, Brianne K. Nadeau, Mary M. Cheh, Janeese Lewis George, Charles Allen, Vincent C. Gray, Trayon White, Sr., Robert C. White, Jr., and Kenyan R. McDuffie, I am introducing the “John Lewis Way Designation Act of 2021.” Please find enclosed a signed copy of the legislation.

This legislation would symbolically designate H Street N.W., between 15th Street N.W. and 17th Street N.W. in Ward 2, as “John Lewis Way”. This portion of H Street N.W. was chosen for the designation due to its proximity to the White House and as according to the U.S. General Services Administration, in the 1700s enslaved Blacks were sold in nearby Lafayette Square.

Representative John Robert Lewis was a son of Alabama sharecroppers, a giant of the Civil Rights Movement, and an apostle of nonviolence. He received his B.A. in religion and philosophy at the American Baptist Theological Institute and Fisk University, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Representative Lewis’ personal history paralleled that of the civil rights movement. He was among the original 13 Freedom Riders, he was an early leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and he also helped organize the 1963 March on Washington on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

He led demonstrations against racially segregated restrooms, public parks, hotels, restaurants, and swimming pools, protesting the indignities of second-class citizenship. During the demonstrations he was beaten, spat upon, burned with cigarettes, tormented by white mobs, and assaulted by law enforcement. On March 7, 1965, Representative Lewis and others led a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. While crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the marchers were attacked by state troopers, who beat Representative Lewis so much so, his skull was seriously fractured.

Representative Lewis later became director of the Voter Education Project, where he helped to register millions of minority voters. In 1981, Representative Lewis won a seat on the Atlanta City Council. In 1986, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. While a representative, he called for healthcare reform, measures to fight poverty, and improvements in education. Representative Lewis has been honored with numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the NAACP's Spingarn Medal, the John F. Kennedy “Profile in Courage Award” for Lifetime Achievement, and the National Book Award.

Representative Lewis passed away on July 17, 2020. This designation will honor his long history of contributions to equality and civil rights.

Should you have any questions about this legislation, please contact my Legislative Director, Barry Weise, at [email protected].

Thank you,

Brooke Pinto

______Chairman Phil Mendelson Councilmember Brooke Pinto

______Councilmember Elissa Silverman Councilmember Anita Bonds

______Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Christina Henderson

______Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Councilmember Mary M. Cheh

______Councilmember Vincent C. Gray Councilmember Charles Allen

______Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember Trayon White, Sr.

______Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie

1 A BILL 2 3 _____ 4 5 6 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 7 8 ______9 10 To symbolically designate H Street N.W., between 15th Street N.W. and 17th Street N.W. in 11 Ward 2, as John Lewis Way.

12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this

13 act may be cited as the “John Lewis Way Designation Act of 2021”. 14 Sec. 2. Pursuant to sections 401, 403a, 405, and 423 of the Street and Alley Closing and

15 Acquisition Procedures Act of 1982, effective March 10, 1983 (D.C. Law 4-201; D.C. Official

16 Code §§ 9-204.01, 9-204.03a, 9-204.05, and 9-204.23), the Council symbolically designates

17 H Street N.W., between 15th Street N.W. and 17 Street N.W. in Ward 2, as “John Lewis Way”.

18 Sec. 3. Applicability.

19 This act shall apply as of July 17, 2020.

20 Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement.

21 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal

22 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,

23 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

24 Sec. 5. Effective date.

25 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the

26 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as

27 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December

28 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of

29 Columbia Register.

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