U.S. Rep. John Lewis lost a close adviser, companion, and long-life supporter when Lillian Miles passed away in 2013. Here is what we know about her:
On December 31, 2012, the world bid farewell to Lillian Miles. She was only 73 years old and had been ill for a considerable time. The educator was described as outgoing, involved, and intelligent. Like her husband, she was eloquent and could rally up a room.
Representative John Lewis passed away on July 17th, 2020, and was laid to rest beside his wife. Their unwavering love lasted for 44 years. Here is what we know about Lillian Miles Lewis’s bio along with Lillian Miles’s images.
1) They Wedded in 1968, One of American’s Worst Years
Lillian Miles Lewis w/ her husband, #JohnLewis, campaigning * before he was elected to Congress in 1986. Lillian was his wife, friend & political adviser – she passed in 2012. Their love story was beautiful. Grateful for their legacies – models of activism & unconditional love ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KHwGAMN4XD
— Well-Read Black Girl ™ (@wellreadblkgirl) July 18, 2020
Lillian Miles and John Lewis tied the knot on December 21st, 1968. It was a tragic year for John Lewis after losing his closest friends. Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated on April 4th and this was followed by Robert Kennedy’s assassination on June 5th.
At the time, John had retired as the Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. After the wedding, the couple settled into a home in southwest Atlanta. Their wedding was also announced in the New York Times as John Lewis’s profile had grown nationally.
2) Lillian May Miles Lewis Was An Educator and Taught in Nigeria
Before her marriage to John Lewis, Miss Lillian Miles was a career woman. Lillian Miles’ education began at Los Angeles High School, before enrolling at California State College where she pursued her undergraduate English degree. There is little known about Lillian Miles Lewis’s sorority. She would then enroll for a Master’s Degree in Library Science. Peace Corps Worldwide acknowledged Lillian Miles Lewis’s Peace Corps contribution upon her death. She taught in Nigeria in 1960 and went on to volunteer for an additional two years before meeting John Lewis in 1967. At the time, she was also working at the Trevor Arnett Library at Atlanta University
3) Lillian Miles Son was Adopted
Source: Ebenezer Baptist Church / Church Pictorial Directory – Originally posted on https://madamenoire.com/
The couple adopted their son John-Miles Lewis in 1976, and it’s not clear if they could not have children of their own. He was only 2 months old and Lillian Miles was about 37 years old. John Lewis’s son was in his 20’s as the controversial gangsta hip-hop scene took off. He stated that he found hip-hop as an outlet to effect change and was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Malcolm X. In the 2000s, John-Miles was signed to a music label.
4) John Lewis Wife was Devoted and Supportive
John Lewis mentioned his wife in his memoir “Walking With the Wind.” He paints Lillian as adventurous, spirited, caring, smart, and eloquent. She was a natural-born leader with great organizational skills. Lewis quoted that when Lilian said, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s go for it,’ it was all that everyone needed to join her quest. The rallying cry is one of the most famous Lillian Miles quotes.
5) Her Funeral Was a Celebration of Life
Is Lillian Miles still alive? Unfortunately, she passed away on December 31st, 2012. Lillian Miles’ cause of death still remains unknown to the general public. While we don’t know what Lillian Miles died from, it was reported that she had suffered from the illness for a very long time.
How was Lillian Miles Lewis Funeral
On January 7th, 2013, her friends and family congregated at the Ebenezer Baptist Church for her last send-off. The mood was more jubilant than gloomy as mourners wanted to reflect her good sense of humor and upbeat attitude.
Her friend Brady recounted a time when Lillian was suffering from insomnia. She had called Brady, and the two talked on the phone from around midnight to 2 a.m. before Mrs. Lewis expressed that she was now beginning to feel sleepy. It was almost 3 a.m. Brady’s time to get out of bed.
When she asks her friend what she must do, Mrs. Lewis reportedly told her to call the police or the ambulance as they were awake 24/7.
According to Lillian Miles find a grave profile, she is buried at Southview Cemetery in Atlanta Fulton.
Who was John Lewis’s new wife?
Mr. John Lewis did not remarry following his wife’s death. He was not rumored to be dating anyone.
6) Lilian Miles Had a Knack For Politics
Creator: Linda Schaeffer | Credit: AP
Though she did not run for office, Mrs. Lewis served as a delegate and supported Shirley Chisholm in the 1972 Democratic National Convention. Mr. John Lewis also admitted that she was his personal political adviser.
When they met, he did not have any political aspirations. It was after his wife’s urging that he could make a bigger influence in politics that he decided to run for office. He would later be elected to Congress in 1986.
7) She Worked as a Librarian at Atlanta University and Continued Pursuing a Career as an Educator
Lillian Lewis directed Atlanta University’s Institute for International Affairs and Development. She also served as the manager of external affairs after the school merged with Clark College, becoming Clark Atlanta University.
Aside from professional roles, she also spearheaded a number of community initiatives and remain active among local organizations.
8) She Knew John Lewis Before She Met Him
Lilian Miles apparently knew John Lewis before they ever met. He was a constant feature on the TV because of his role as one of the central leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the early ’60s.
We know that Lillian’s husband was born on February 21, 1940. John was part of the core group of student activists that rode in interstate buses to challenge segregation in the South.
In August 1963, and at only 23 years of age, he organized and spoke at the historic March on Washington. From 1963 to 1966, John Lewis served as Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He believed in non-violence and would organize sit-in demonstrations at segregated lunch counters at Fisk University, Nashville.
Her husband is still regarded as one of the most courageous persons in the Civil Rights Movement and his late wife soon became one of his biggest supporters.
9) Xernona Clayton Shared Their Love Story at John Lewis FuneralXernona Clayton paid a loving tribute to the couple during John Lewis’s funeral. She said that she had played the role of Matchmaker. John Lewis’s cause of death was pancreatic cancer. The Willie Watkins Farris funeral home played a part in preparing John Lewis’s funeral, and days earlier, it had also taken part in the internment of Reverend C.T. Vivian. Jennifer Holliday was the singer at John Lewis’s funeral. Popular President Barack Obama eulogy quotes from the funeral include:
- “Like John, we have to give it all we have.”
- “Like John, we have got to fight even harder for the most powerful tool we have, which is the right to vote.”
Obama also hinted at one of Congressman John Lewis’s quotes on racism “Get in good trouble and necessary trouble.”
Lillian Miles Lewis Wiki
- Born: 3 March 1939
- Death: 31st December 2012
- Spouse: John Lewis
- Married: 21st November 1968
- Children: John-Miles (Adopted)
- Profession: Educator & Librarian
Was Lilian Miles an actor? No, there is a famous actress who also goes by the same name.
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