Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) to discuss, sign copies of new book on civil rights movement, Jan. 21 6:30 p.m. at the National Press Club

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Jan 16, 2015, 02:19 ET

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Representative John Lewis (D-GA) and co-author Andrew Aydin will discuss and sign copies of the newly released second volume in their bestselling trilogy, "March," a first-hand account of Lewis' experiences as a key figure of the civil rights movement. The graphic novel was illustrated by award-winning artist Nate Powell.

After the success of the Nashville sit-in movement, John Lewis' commitment to change through nonviolence was stronger than ever — but as he and his fellow Freedom Riders boarded a bus into the heart of the deep south, they were tested as never before. Faced with beatings, police brutality, imprisonment, arson, and even murder, the movement's young activists placed their lives on the line while internal conflicts threatened to tear them apart.

Their courage attracted the notice of powerful allies, from Martin Luther King, Jr. to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy... and when Lewis was elected chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, the 23-year-old was thrust into the national spotlight, becoming one of the "Big Six" leaders of the civil rights movement and a central figure in the landmark 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

The event includes an author discussion, Q&A from the audience, and book signing. Tickets are $5 for NPC members; $10 public. Register here.

This event is a fundraiser for the nonprofit National Press Club Journalism Institute, the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.

For more information, contact: Nicole Hoffman [email protected]

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SOURCE National Press Club