‘Good trouble’ protests across US on July 17 to honor civil rights icon John Lewis and oppose Trump policies - Who was he?

Good Trouble Lives On anti-Trump protest (Image: AFP)

Tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to gather at over 1,600 sites across the United States on Thursday, July 17, as part of the "Good Trouble Lives On" protests.

The protest is organized by several pro-democracy groups, the movement builds on the earlier "No Kings" rally and seeks to defend voting and racial rights in response to ongoing concerns about immigration policies under the Trump administration.

A day of action will be held to honor the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis and to condemn what organizers describe as “the most brazen rollback of civil rights in generations” by the Trump administration.

“The Trump administration’s recent escalating authoritarian actions, attacks on DEI initiatives and voting rights, and dismantling of government agencies have raised alarm bells for democracy advocates, and that’s why we’re mobilising,” reads an official press release issued by the organisers.

The phrase “Good Trouble,” famously used by Lewis to describe necessary, nonviolent disruption for social change, has been embraced by organizers, who say they received the blessing of Lewis’ family to invoke his legacy.

What are the planned events? 

Events are planned in cities including Chicago, Atlanta, St. Louis, Annapolis, and Washington, D.C. Additionally, Palm Beach County, Florida, home to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, will host five separate events, featuring a march, a car parade, and public talks honoring John Lewis’ legacy.

Alongside hundreds of smaller gatherings in towns throughout the United States. Other locations include Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia, Dallas, Phoenix, Austin, Columbus, Charlotte, and New York City, as well as areas in Alaska and Hawaii.

Despite the protests being held midweek, turnout is expected to be high. Most events are scheduled for after typical work hours, and some will start early in the morning.

“This is the largest one-day voting rights and civil rights movement action in all 50 states and internationally in U.S. history,” said Barbara Arnwine, co-leader of the Transformative Justice Coalition. “And the largest weekday action this year.”

Who is John Lewis? 

Lewis, born February 21, 1940, in Troy, Alabama, was the son of sharecroppers. He began preaching at 15 and later attended the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville.

In 1958, Lewis met Martin Luther King Jr. while seeking King's help to sue for transferring to Troy State University, an all-white school near his home.

Though he didn’t pursue the lawsuit, this connection earned him the nickname “the boy from Troy” and linked him to key civil rights leaders.

As a 1960s civil rights leader, Lewis actively challenged Jim Crow segregation through nonviolent protests. He gained national prominence, meeting President Kennedy in 1963 before the March on Washington and addressing the crowd prior to King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.