John Lewis

== Early work in government (1977–1986) ==
[[File:President Jimmy Carter and John Lewis.jpg|thumb|right|Lewis with President [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1979]]
In January 1977, incumbent Democratic U.S. Congressman [[Andrew Young]] of [[Georgia's 5th congressional district]] resigned to become the [[United States Ambassador to the United Nations|U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.]] under President [[Jimmy Carter]]. In the March 1977 open primary, [[Atlanta City Council]]man [[Wyche Fowler]] ranked first with 40% of the vote, failing to reach the 50% threshold to win outright. Lewis ranked second with 29% of the vote.<ref name="ourcampaigns.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=31297 |title=GA District 5 – Special Election Primary Race – Mar 15, 1977 |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=July 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200713/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=31297 |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the April election, Fowler defeated Lewis 62%–38%.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=31302 |title=GA District 5 – Special Election Race – Apr 05, 1977 |publisher=Our Campaigns |access-date=July 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191811/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=31302 |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

After his unsuccessful bid, Lewis accepted a position with the Carter administration as associate director of [[ACTION (U.S. government agency)|ACTION]], responsible for running the [[Volunteers in Service to America|VISTA]] program, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and the [[Foster Grandparent Program]]. He held that job for two and a half years, resigning as the 1980 election approached.<ref>Lewis, ''Walking with the Wind'', pp. 446–451.</ref>

In 1981, Lewis ran for an at-large seat on the [[Political structure of Atlanta|Atlanta City Council]]. He won with 69% of the vote,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Press |first1=Robert M. |title=Civil rights veteran John Lewis still marches to unmistakable drumbeat |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1985/0228/alew.html |access-date=April 18, 2020 |newspaper=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |location=Boston |date=February 28, 1985 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003103544/http://www.csmonitor.com/1985/0228/alew.html |archive-date=October 3, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> and served on the council until 1986.<ref>{{cite web |title=People – Lewis, John |url=https://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/people/article/civil-rights-activists/john-lewis |website=GeorgiaInfo |publisher=University System of Georgia |access-date=April 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531203243/https://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/people/article/civil-rights-activists/john-lewis |archive-date=May 31, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>