Honor John Lewis and C.T. Vivian by exercising your right to vote

Jackson, Mississippi: Reverend C.T. Vivian and John Lewis pose for mugshots following their arrests in Jackson, Mississippi during a Freedom Ride in 1961.

Last weekend’s loss of two civil rights icons, the Reverend C.T. Vivian and Congressman John Lewis, marked the end of an era that began in the late 1940s with a fight for integration.

On Wednesday, Rev. Vivian was honored at a memorial service at the Georgia state capital.

Rep. John Lewis, who served in congress for 33 years until his death, will lie in state at the U.S. capitol next week.

Both men worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King in the fight for civil rights in the 1960, and both men dedicated their lives to fighting for equality.

Years later, the fight for equality continued, with Rep. Lewis drafting legislation to protect the right to vote.

Beyond fighting for civil and voting rights, Rep. Lewis and Rev. Vivian went to the polls and exercised those rights. To honor their legacy, you should too.

Their strategy of peaceful demonstrations could successfully be applied to protests of today.

Reverend Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian was 95.

Congressman John Lewis was 80.