WASHINGTON, May 5, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum presented the
2016 Elie Wiesel Award, the institution's highest honor,
to United States Representative John Lewis, of Georgia at the Museum's National Tribute
Dinner on Wednesday, May 4.
Lewis, the only surviving "Big Six" leader of the Civil Rights
Movement, was recognized for his extraordinary moral and physical
courage during those defining moments and his lifelong commitment
to promoting the human dignity of all people.
"At a pivotal moment in our history, Representative Lewis took
great personal risks to help our society reaffirm its commitment to
freedom and justice for all," says Museum Chairman Tom A. Bernstein. "Like our previous honorees,
he is an inspiration to people of conscience the world over."
As a university student, Lewis organized sit-ins at segregated
lunch counters, participated in Freedom Rides, and led the march
across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on "Bloody Sunday." Though he was
arrested more than 40 times in nonviolent protests and endured
physical brutality, he never abandoned his commitment to building
"the Beloved Community" in America. Lewis, the son of
sharecroppers, has served for three decades in the United States Congress, where he is widely
respected for his integrity and moral courage.
Susannah Heschel, chair of the
Jewish Studies program at Dartmouth
College whose father Rabbi Abraham
Joshua Heschel worked closely and marched with Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. during the
Civil Rights Movement, presented the award to Rep. Lewis.
Established in 2011, the Elie
Wiesel Award is named in honor of its inaugural recipient,
Nobel Peace Laureate and Museum Founding Chairman Elie Wiesel. Engraved on the award are words
from Wiesel's Nobel Prize acceptance speech, "One person of
integrity can make a difference." The Museum presents the award to
an internationally prominent individual whose actions have advanced
the Museum's vision of a world where people confront hatred,
prevent genocide, and promote human dignity.
The Museum's National Tribute Dinner was held on Wednesday, May 4, at 6:30
p.m. at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park as part of the
Museum's annual Days of Remembrance observance when it
leads the nation in remembering the victims of the Holocaust. The
event chairs are Beth Heifetz and
Jodi and Rodd Macklin. About 900
people, including 60 Holocaust survivors, attended the event.
The National Tribute Dinner supports the Museum's campaign,
Never Again: What You Do Matters. The $540
million campaign will allow the Museum to make critical
investments to keep Holocaust memory alive as a relevant force for
change — inspiring people worldwide to confront hate, prevent
genocide, and promote human dignity.
A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust
Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront
hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. Its
far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made
possible by generous donors. For more information,
visit ushmm.org.
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SOURCE United States Holocaust Memorial Museum