Three former presidents are expected to attend the funeral Thursday for civil rights icon John Lewis, a remarkable nod of respect from the highest level of government.
Former president George W. Bush and Bill Clinton will attend, sources confirmed to USA TODAY. So will Barack Obama, who is expected to deliver a eulogy,The service for Lewis, who died July 17 at 80 from pancreatic cancer, will take place at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church Horizon Sanctuary at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta. Lewis was one of the organizers of the March on Washington, D.C., in 1963, along with King.
In a short ceremony before the public was invited to file by the casket, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, also described Lewis, a Democrat, as a"a titan of the civil rights movement, a beloved Georgian, an American hero and a friend to all who sought a better, fairer, more united society." A line of mourners wrapped around the state Capitol in Atlanta ahead of the public viewing. Some recalled meeting Lewis, who was known to enthusiastically greet supporters.
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