TROY – John Lewis, a south Alabama sharecropper’s son who became a leader in the U.S. civil rights movement and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, will receive the fourth Hall-Waters Prize from Troy University on Oct. 2.

The Hall-Waters Prize is endowed by TROY alumnus Dr. Wade Hall, an author, former member of the faculty at the University of Florida and professor emeritus of English at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY. Dr. Hall, a native of Bullock County, endowed the prize as a memorial to his parents, Wade Hall Sr. and Sarah Elizabeth Waters Hall. The award is presented annually to a person who has made significant contributions to Southern heritage and culture in history, literature or the arts. Past recipients are authors Shirley Ann Grau, Rick Bragg and Sena Jeter Naslund.

Dr. Bill Thompson, chair of the Department of English, said Rep. Lewis was chosen for the Hall-Waters prize for his achievements in both literature and public service.

“The story of John Lewis’ life—from his childhood as the son of sharecroppers, to his essential contributions the Civil Rights Movement, to his current role as Representative of Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District—is a moving one,” Dr. Thompson said. “Moreover, Rep. Lewis’s memoir, ‘Walking with the Wind,’ has been hailed by critic after critic as an important historical work.”

Dr. Thompson said several English classes at TROY are studying the Lewis memoir this term, and Rep. Lewis is scheduled to meet with students on Oct. 2 for an informal discussion of the events outlined in the book. The awards ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Trojan Center Ballrooms. The public is invited to attend the ceremony.

Rep. Lewis was born near Troy in rural Pike County. He attended Fisk University in Nashville, where he became involved in the civil rights movement. He was named chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which he helped form. Rep. Lewis played a pivotal role in the Selma-to-Montgomery march, which became a watershed moment in the movement. In 1977, Rep. Lewis was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to direct ACTION, the federal volunteer agency. In 1981, he was elected to the Atlanta City Council. He was elected to Congress in November 1986 and has served as U.S. Representative of Georgia's Fifth Congressional District since then.

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Editors/Producers: A full biography of Rep. Lewis can be found at http://www.house.gov/johnlewis/bio.htmlcivil rights movement.