Atlanta's transit authority MARTA, alongside the John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation, introduced a distinctive bus designed to honor the late congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis. This collaboration aims to celebrate Lewis's unwavering support for public transportation and his dedication to voters' rights. In an unveiling event held at the College Park Station on Thursday, community members got their first look at the "John Lewis Bus," embellished with the congressman's image and his inspirational quotes.
During this tribute, which coincides with National Voter Registration Month, MARTA took the opportunity to host a voter registration drive as a nod to Lewis's lifelong commitment to the fight for suffrage. "As part of our yearlong celebration of Black history, we want to recognize the profound contributions of Congressman Lewis who championed public transit and MARTA, and fought for voters’ rights his entire life," told Fox5 Atlanta MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood. The Fulton and Clayton County Offices of Registration & Elections provided invaluable support by conducting on-site registration and offering voter education from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with the hope of empowering local residents to participate in the democratic process.
The "John Lewis Bus" now joins a series of buses commemorating civil rights icons, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Plans are already underway to extend this moving gallery with future buses that will pay homage to Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, Evelyn Gibson Lowery, and Ambassador Andrew Young. These buses not only serve as mobile monuments but also as vessels, driving through the constituencies that Lewis once represented, delivering both passengers and the profound legacy of the congressman's work. "Congressman Lewis was inspired by the work of Rosa Parks and others to integrate transit systems across the country. He would be proud to know that a MARTA bus with his pictures and quotes was serving constituents he represented in Congress," Detria Everson, president and CEO of the John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation, told 11Alive.
