March: Book One and Martin Luther King and The Montgomery Story

After more than five decades of activism, US Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis, a Forum guest in 201 3,  has made history once again this year. His new memoir March: Book One, co-written with Andrew Aydin and drawn by Nate Powell, is the first ever graphic novel by a member of Congress. It debuted in August to great acclaim from critics, TV hosts, book festivals, schoolteachers, and young readers alike, not to mention #1 status on both New York Times and Washington Post bestseller lists. That incredible launch was recently followed by a re-release of Martin Luther King and The Montgomery Story, the groundbreaking 1950s comic book which galvanized Lewis and his generation of civil-rights activists, now available for the first time in digital format as well as a new reprinted edition.

Now, to celebrate the launch of both titles, March publisher Top Shelf Productions has partnered with the Fellowship of Reconciliation (original publishers of The Montgomery Story) and digital-comics leader ComiXology to share these powerful and timeless works with Rep. Lewis’ colleagues in Congress. Each member of the House and Senate is receiving a complimentary digital copy of both March: Book One and Martin Luther King and The Montgomery Story.

In a statement accompanying the gift, Congressman Lewis noted that the March project “…is not just my story, it’s the story of a movement, the story of a generation that stood up for justice in our country.

“Just like the comic book I read more than 50 years ago, it is my hope that this graphic novel can inspire new generations to speak up and speak out, to make their voice heard, and, hopefully, to make our nation a more just and peaceful place for all.”