The Pettus Bridge (John Lewis Series)

In 1965, John Lewis and Hosea Williams led a march of 600 nonviolent demonstrators from Selma to Montgomery for voting rights. When the protesters attempted to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, they were confronted by state troopers and sheriff deputies, some on horseback. Governor George Wallace granted law enforcement the authority to use any means to stop the march. The peaceful protesters were tear gassed, trampled, and beaten with bullwhips and nightsticks, resulting in 50 hospitalizations.

John Lewis’ skull was fractured by the force of a state trooper’s club. He appeared on television, appealing to President Lyndon B. Johnson to respond.

Broadcasts of the incident, known as Bloody Sunday, were transmitted to millions of American homes and international media outlets. The tragic, yet pivotal moment led to increased awareness and support of the Movement and solidarity demonstrations in 80 cities, leading to the passage of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965.

About the artist: Benny Andrews (b. 1930, d. 2006) was a celebrated African American painter, printmaker, and collage artist. Born to sharecroppers in Plainview, Georgia, he went on to study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago before finding success in New York City. His narrative works documented social and political themes of the times, including depictions of the American Civil Rights movement, anti-war protests, personal and familial narratives, and the relocation of American Indians. He later illustrated children’s books about the lives of prominent figures in Black history, such as Langston Hughes, Josephine Carroll Smith, and his friend Congressman John Lewis. The John Lewis Series was one of his final bodies of work.

“For Benny there was no line where his activism ended, and his art began. To him, using his brush and his pen to capture the essence and spirit of his time was as much an act of protest as sitting-in or sitting-down was for me.” – John Lewis