National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) mourns the passing of John Lewis, a civil rights leader who was active on the front lines of the civil rights movement during the 1960s and later spent decades representing Georgia in Congress. Rep. Lewis was a keynote speaker at three NCSS Annual Conferences: Atlanta (2009), St. Louis (2013), and Washington, DC (2016). He was widely regarded by our social studies community as a champion of civil rights and active civic engagement by all Americans.

NCSS President Stefanie Wager said, “John Lewis was an American hero. He taught us ‘when you see something that is not right, not fair, not just - say something, do something, get in trouble, good trouble, necessary trouble.’ His legacy will be taught in countless social studies classrooms across the country and will encourage the next generation to speak out against injustice.”

NCSS Executive Director Dr. Lawrence Paska said, “John Lewis embodied the very ideals of informed civic action which we teach our students every day. We honor his legacy by ensuring that the advocacy and leadership which defined his lifetime of public service will be a model for future generations. We are deeply grateful to him for inspiring and sharing his vision with NCSS and being a deep inspiration to all social studies educators and students.”

Founded in 1921, National Council for the Social Studies is the largest professional association in the country devoted solely to social studies education. NCSS engages and supports educators in strengthening and advocating social studies. With members in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 35 countries, NCSS serves as an umbrella organization for elementary, secondary, and college teachers of history, civics, geography, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and law-related education. The NCSS membership represents K-12 classroom teachers, college and university faculty members, curriculum designers and specialists, social studies supervisors, and leaders in the various disciplines that constitute the social studies. Membership in National Council for the Social Studies is open to any person or institution interested in the social studies.