Good Trouble Lives On: Honoring John Lewis in Iowa City

On July 17, 2025 — the fifth anniversary of the passing of civil rights icon and former Congressman John Lewis — around 100 people gathered at City Park to carry on his legacy of causing “good trouble.” The march was part of a nationwide wave of solidarity events, with communities across the country stepping up to defend civil rights and push back against the erosion of democratic norms.

Crossing the Bridge

The heart of the evening was the march across the bridge near Hancher Auditorium — a deliberate echo of Lewis’s historic march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Marchers hoisted hand-painted banners, chanted, and sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” led by Iowa City Mayor Bruce Teague, who was one of three speakers for the evening.

Voices for Justice

Mayor Teague was joined by speakers from Indivisible and Veterans for Peace Chapter 161, who addressed the crowd as the sun began to set. Ed Flannery, representing Veterans for Peace, spoke about the duty to protect the freedoms so many have fought for. The speeches were a reminder that the fight for civil rights is not a chapter in a history book — it is ongoing, and it belongs to all of us.

The Daily Iowan’s Ava Neumaier was on the scene and captured the evening in photos.

Keep Making Good Trouble

John Lewis spent his life teaching us that progress requires courage, persistence, and a willingness to get into “good, necessary trouble.” That spirit was alive in Iowa City on July 17, and it needs to stay alive every day after. Here’s how you can keep it going:

• 5 Calls App — Makes calling your representatives easy with phone numbers and scripts ready to go.
• Subscribe to our newsletter — Stay informed about upcoming events and ways to take action.
• Follow us on social media — Find us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Reddit.

Thank you to everyone who came out, and to the organizers and speakers who made the evening possible. John Lewis told us to never give up, never give in, and never give out. Johnson County heard him loud and clear.