john lewis forgave him, after elwin wilson apologized. it took a really -- it takes a special kind of person to be able to do that, after someone beats you bloody. >> well, no, it doesn't. john lewis was the kind of person that did that all the time. i mean, you could abuse him in an argument, and he'd just smile and make you ashamed of yourself. and he would -- he would demonstrate that there was power in a spiritual confrontation. he never -- he never had an argument, and that's why everybody thought that julian bond would be the congressman because he was so articulate. but john would have simple, plain statements and then, when you come back at him with hostility or arrogance, he'd just sit there and smile. and many people underestimated that. in fact, all of us underestimates that. but that, in his life, was a genuine power, that helped change the world. >> i want -- let me just read this, and i'm going to get your reaction to it, congressman. this is -- this is from martin the 3rd, martin luther king the 3rd. and he said john lewis

a former ku klux klan member elwin wilson confessed to being part of the white mob that bloodied lewis and other fres -d others nearly 48 years ago. he noted in his 2012 book across the bridge that wilson was the first of his attackers to apologize for his actions. wilson traveled to washington a short time later to meet lewis face to face and ask for forgiveness. without a moment of hesitation, i looked back at him and said i accept your apology, john lewis wrote. this was a great testament to the power of love to overcome hatred. john lewis had another incident that i thought was worth mentioning this morning as well. it was another example of forgiveness. kevin mur any wasn't born -- murphy wasn't born until a year after john lewis was knocked unconscious from a blow by a wooden coke cola crate in 1961 after the freedom riders pulled into montgomery, alabama at the bus station. but as the city's police chief in 2013, mr. murphy wanted to issue an apology for the officers who declined to step in as the white mob descended on lewis and his bus-riding colleagues. so when lewis and othe

. >> reporter: in 1961, in rockhill, south carolina, elwin wilson and john lewis stood on opposite sidesstory. lewis, then a freedom rider. wilson, attacking demonstrators. eventually a friend asked him about his faith in jesus. a question that upended his path in life. >> he said, if you died right now, do you know where you would go? i said, to hell. >> reporter: in 2009, abc news brought these two men together. a reconciliation almost 50 years in the making. >> i'm sorry for what happened down there. >> well, it's okay. it's all right. it's almost 48 years ago. >> that's right. >> reporter: his power came not just from changing policy but hearts, and inspiring new leaders. >> he inspired me by being with shaking things up. i would say intentional activism, that made activism a personal thing, that was in 2012 when trayvon martin passed away. my older brother passed away also at the age of 17. that reminded me of how unfair the world is. >> reporter: injured while protesting the death of george floyd, but resolute. >> the fight against white supremacy and systematic racism, the fight a

a former ku klux klan member elwin wilson confessed to being part of the white mob that bloodied lewis and other fres -d others nearly 48 years ago. he noted in his 2012 book across the bridge that wilson was the first of his attackers to apologize for his actions. wilson traveled to washington a short time later to meet lewis face to face and ask for forgiveness. without a moment of hesitation, i looked back at him and said i accept your apology, john lewis wrote. this was a great testament to the power of love to overcome hatred. john lewis had another incident that i thought was worth mentioning this morning as well. it was another example of forgiveness. kevin mur any wasn't born -- murphy wasn't born until a year after john lewis was knocked unconscious from a blow by a wooden coke cola crate in 1961 after the freedom riders pulled into montgomery, alabama at the bus station. but as the city's police chief in 2013, mr. murphy wanted to issue an apology for the officers who declined to step in as the white mob descended on lewis and his bus-riding colleagues. so when lewis and othe