On the fifth anniversary of the passing of renowned Atlanta civil rights leader and political figure John Lewis, Georgia activists are taking part in nationwide protests against the Trump administration.
On July 17, “Good Trouble Lives On,” a national day of action in honor of the late human rights activist, will feature hundreds of peaceful, nonviolent demonstrations across the country aimed at challenging social and political injustice.
According to the initiative’s official site, the day is a direct response to “the attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration.”
Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump and his cabinet have received widespread criticism for their stances on LGBTQ policies, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and immigration.
“The civil rights leaders of the past have shown us the power of collective action,” the website’s mission statement reads. “[On July 17], communities across the country will take to the streets, courthouses, and community spaces to carry forward his fight for justice, voting rights, and dignity for all.”
An Alabama native and longtime Atlanta resident, Lewis served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a representative for Georgia’s 5th district from 1987 to his death in 2020 at the age of 80.
Before his political career, Lewis served as a civil rights activist who marched with fellow Atlanta figures Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Hosea Williams.
In 1963, Lewis was a speaker at the March on Washington, a protest that drew approximately 250,000 people to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
That same year, he became the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and in 1966, he co-founded the Southern Coordinating Committee to End the War in Vietnam.
Known for his dedication toward fighting for equal rights and civil liberties for marginalized U.S. citizens, Lewis encouraged his followers to use nonviolence as a way to enact change in the face of unrest.
“When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up,” Lewis said during the first impeachment trial of President Trump in 2020. “You have to say something; you have to do something.”
Here are the locations and times of “Good Trouble Lives On” events occurring in metro Atlanta:
Clairmont Lake
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Clairmont Lake, Decatur, GA 30033
Marietta
11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
285 Victory Dr SE, Marietta, GA 30060
King Center
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
449 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30312
Fayetteville
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Old Fayette County Courthouse, 140 Stonewall Avenue, Fayetteville, GA 30214
Newnan
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Coweta County Probate Courthouse, 200 W Ct Square, Newnan, GA 30263
Gwinnett
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Snellville, GA 30078 (private address)
Marietta Fish Market – Working Dinner: Get Into Good Trouble With Us
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
3185 Canton Rd, Marietta, GA 30066
Forsyth County
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
3650 Peachtree Pkwy, Corner of Peachtree Pkwy & McGinnis Ferry Rd, Suwanee, GA 30024
Ebenezer Baptist Church
7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
101 Jackson St NE, Atlanta, GA 30312
The WABE Digital Team contributed to this report.
