As Martin Luther King Jr. gained national prominence, the FBI launched several investigations to prove that King and his radical allies were communist sympathizers and a danger to America.
John Lewis, in the foreground, is beaten by a state trooper during a civil rights voting march in Selma, Ala., on March 7, 1965.
AP Photo
Thanks to some serendipity and fortuitous timing, the images emerging out of Selma had a uniquely powerful effect on the nation.
John Lewis linked arms with religious leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, while marching from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.
William Lovelace/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
From the earliest days of the civil rights struggle, Black religious leaders have infused the fight for justice with spirituality. Rep. Lewis and Rev. Vivian are no exception.