John Lewis was the truest of American heroes. He lived a life of the utmost courage, standing up to Jim Crow and countless assaults on the inalienable rights of Black Americans. He fought tirelessly for civil rights and social justice for all, and became the conscience of the United States Congress. It was a personal honor to know him, and present him with an honorary degree from Penn. When you were with him, you knew you were in the presence of greatness. What a glorious life he lived, and how blessed we are as a country by the sacrifices he made and the positive change he brought about. We honor his memory as we work together to live up to his inspiring words: “…if you follow your truth down the road to peace and the affirmation of love, if you shine like a beacon for all to see, then the poetry of all the great dreamers and philosophers is yours to manifest in a nation, a world community, and a Beloved Community that is finally at peace with itself.”