Lewis grew up in rural Alabama where the same opportunities available to white children did not exist for Black children. As he rode the bus to school each morning, Lewis was keenly aware of the disparities he saw. The school the white children in his community attended was nicer, and those children had access to more resources than Lewis and his Black peers. Their busses were in better repair, and the schoolyards were cleaner. He took note of the prison gangs he saw working on the roadsides and how they were comprised of mostly Black prisoners. Rather than growing discouraged or throwing up his arms in defeat, Lewis knew he wanted to do more to challenge the state of affairs that oppressed people of color.

It was this same attitude that led him to apply to Troy University and to meet Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his quest for social betterment. Although he did not pursue Troy further because of his family’s concerns for both his and their safety, Lewis recognized the need to fight injustice, and he organized with others in Nashville to challenge segregation laws. Lewis knew he would be met with challenges. He and his fellow protesters prepared for nonviolent action by taking turns learning what to do when others called them names, harassed them, and even beat them.