Schedule of events

Friday, July 16

6:00 pm (CT) – Memorial Service

A memorial service at the historic First Baptist Church – Capitol Hill, 635 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., hosted by American Baptist College, Fisk University, First Baptist Church and the JLW Committee. Speakers will remember Rep. Lewis, his time in Nashville, and his contributions to the civil rights movement.

Saturday, July 17

9:00 am (CT) – Rep. John Lewis Way Street Dedication/The Commemorative March

The Rep. John Lewis Way dedication will be held at the corner of Jefferson Street and Rep. John Lewis Way with remarks from Nashville Mayor John Cooper and Rep. John Lewis Way Committee Chair Zulfat Suara. The march will begin immediately following the dedication and conclude at the Ryman Auditorium.

All are welcome to join the committee and city officials on the 1.2-mile walk. Free parking is available at the Nashville Sounds Stadium, located at 800-858 John Lewis Way N. Parking is available from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and all vehicles must be removed by 3:30 p.m. for fans to park for a Sounds baseball game.

11 am (CT) – The Celebration

A celebration at the historic Ryman Auditorium, 116 Rep. John Lewis Way, will feature remarks from honored guests and a reception.

Share your experience using #JohnLewisWay on social media. You can livestream the dedication here.

The late congressman and civil rights pioneer began his activist journey as a student in Nashville, serving as a leader in the momentous lunch counter sit-ins that lead to Nashville becoming the first Southern city to begin the desegregation of public places. While a student, Lewis served as one of the 13 original “Freedom Riders” before later embarking on a political career.

Rep. John Lewis Way is not only the name of a street in Nashville, and it is a daily reminder of the way John Lewis advocated for equal justice throughout his life.