1940 On February 21, 1940 John Lewis was born just outside of Troy, Alabama.

1957 Started College at American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville Tennessee

1958 John Lewis meets Martin Luther King Jr. where Lewis asks King's help to enroll at segregated Troy State. Fearing his safety, Lewis, parents refused to allow the attempted enrollment.

1961 Lewis spends his 21st birthday in jail for protesting. Lewis was also named SGA president of the American Baptist Theological Seminary.

1963 Received a B.A. in religion and philosophy from Fisk University

1963 At the age of 23, John Lewis was one of the architects and keynote speaker at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. After Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the "I Have a Dream Speech" Lewis addressed the National Government asking, "Which side is the federal government on?"

1964 John Lewis coordinated SNCC efforts to organize voter registration drives and community action programs during the Mississippi Freedom Summer.

1965 On March 7 John Lewis and the Reverend Hosea Williams led 600 civil rights marchers over the Edmund Pettus Bridge where they were then attacked by state and local police with billy clubs and tear gas. The event later became known as"Bloody Sunday."

1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed through Congress.

1966 After leaving SNCC, Lewis worked with community organizations and was named community affairs director for the National Consumer Co-op Bank in Atlanta.

1968 Close friend Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4th.