NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The late U.S. Rep. John Lewis was a beloved public servant with an enduring legacy as a Civil Rights icon. Alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Lewis was on the frontlines of the Civil Rights Movement, risking life and limb, to combat the racial injustices in America. Often called “the conscience of the U.S. Congress,” he dedicated his life to preserving human rights and freedom for all. BET will honor the legacy of this American hero by airing live coverage of his funeral service from Atlanta’s historic religious center, Ebenezer Baptist Church Horizon Sanctuary. BET News will simulcast sister network CBS’ coverage led by CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell and CBS This Morning Saturday co-host Michelle Miller on site in Atlanta. Coverage will begin Thursday, July 30 at 10:45 a.m. ET on BET and BET HER.
On Friday, July 17, the longtime Congressman from Georgia passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer. News of his passing ignited waves of emotion throughout the nation in remembrance of his life of public service and legacy. On Sunday, July 26, Lewis’ casket made a final crossing over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL, more than fifty years after he and other civil rights pioneers, including Reverend C.T. Vivian, peacefully marched for voting rights but were met with violence from state and local law enforcement, in a historic event which would come to be known as “Bloody Sunday.”
Lewis will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol until Wednesday morning when his casket will travel to Atlanta to lie in state at the Georgia State Capitol Rotunda. The final memorial service is not open to the public. He will be buried at the South-View Cemetery in Atlanta. Due to COVID-19 concerns, Lewis’ family encourages the public not to travel from across the country to pay respects. Virtual acknowledgements may be posted online using the hashtags #BelovedCommunity or #HumanDignity.
For more details on BET’s coverage of John Lewis’ memorial ceremonies this week, please visit www.bet.com and follow @BET & @BETNews across social platforms to join the conversation using the hashtag #BETRemembersJohnLewis.
About BET
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.