The transformative contributions made by the late Rep. John Lewis towards advancing social justice will reverberate for generations to come, and a city that served as the backdrop for pivotal moments along the civil rights activist’s storied journey will honor his legacy in a commemorative way. A bill has been passed by the Senate to rename Atlanta’s central post office after Lewis.
The metropolis was interwoven into Rep. Lewis’ political path. In 1981, he was elected to serve on the Atlanta City Council where he was a big proponent of community conservation and governmental ethics. In 1986 he led a congressional run and was elected to Congress in November of that year. He represented Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District—which was comprised of Atlanta, Cobb, DeKalb, and Clayton counties—until he passed away in 2020.
Introduced by Congresswoman Nikema Williams, the legislation calls for the post office located at 3900 Crown Road SW to be named the John R. Lewis Post Office Building. The bill was co-led by Congressman Buddy Carter and the Senate companion legislation was proposed by Sen. Reverend Raphael Warnock.