Community Conversations on John Lewis and the Power of Hope
By Elaine Meyers
The Southern Cayuga Anne Frank Tree Project is coordinating a series of community conversations based on Jon Meacham’s book His Truth is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope. Small groups will meet between January 21 and February 9 in a variety of community locations in both online and in person formats. All gatherings are free and open to the public, but registration is requested. Books are available at the local libraries.
My first conversation about these events began in the fall of 2022 with a committee charged with choosing a book for our 2023 Community Read. Every year, the Southern Cayuga Community Read brings together neighbors and friends to discuss a book that has local relevance while exploring themes related to justice, freedom, and equity. Our committee reviewed a variety of non-fiction and historical fiction titles about racial justice. Jon Meacham’s book was chosen for the quality of writing, historical perspectives, and relevance for our continued need to march on for justice, freedom, and equity.
The book selection committee worked on a series of questions to facilitate community read conversations. What so many of us realized was that even though we were alive during the years covered by much of the book, we knew so little of the history Meacham flawlessly presented. Our first question reflected this: “Talk about yourself and your understanding of the Civil Rights Movement based on your experience and any ideas you received from Meacham’s book.”
A great advantage we have in our community is an ongoing discussion of the need for non-violent responses generated by our Quaker community and many others seeking understanding of what support to provide the war in Ukraine, as well as how to combat racism, anti-Semitism and sexism in our political and economic lives. John Lewis’ life challenges us to examine the depth of non-violence practices by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). I look in wonder at the SNCC creed that believes non-violence is the only means for courage to displace fear, love to transform hate, acceptance to dissipate prejudice, hope to end despair, peace to dominate war, faith to reconcile doubts, justice to overthrow injustice and our redemptive community to supersede systems of gross social injustice. Our second question probes non-violence: “Discuss your understanding of a preference for non-violent over any means necessary—with the definition that non-violent means that you will never respond with violence even if it means losing your own life.” Jon Meacham made it clear that on any day, John Lewis was aware he might not be coming home. He could lose his life for the cause.
One of the gifts of historical writing is the open invitation to compare the past and present. Jon Meacham wrote, “The South in the 1960’s was born in the 1860’s, both during the Civil War and during Reconstruction.” We will look at the parallels between these periods and today. Lastly, we will reflect on how our conversation has changed our understanding of the Civil Rights movement and any community needs that our discussion has brought to light.
I am sure some readers are wondering how we can gather people together to talk about subjects that run deeply through our understanding of our personal values and might question who has the authority to work for change. Our group moderators have experience in leading conversations, and we are all bound by the same overview. “This group is intended to be a forum for discussion of ideas and for learning about differing viewpoints, not a debate. In discussions around diversity and equity, it’s important to understand that everyone sees and experiences the world differently—what seems ‘right’ in your experience may not be so in someone else’s. Everyone is asked to consider different perspectives, for the purpose of sensitivity, learning and growth.” Among a list of ground rules are no blame, trust, maintain confidentiality, share the air, know we are experts, we can always ask for help and look for the truth in what is said instead of looking for exceptions to the case.
If you are interested in joining us or learning more, please email the Community Read Committee at scfranktree@gmail.com. Time and location of group meetings will be listed when they are finalized.