Georgia Democratic Rep. John Lewis -- who as a 23-year old civil rights activist helped organize the 1963 "March on Washington" -- said on Sunday that Martin Luther King, Jr. should be looked upon as one of America's founding fathers.
Lewis said that he "saw hundreds and hundreds of young people" at the 50th anniversary events in Washington on Saturday, and "I said to myself, 'This is it', Dr. King must be looked upon as one of the founding fathers of a new America," said Lewis on ABC's "This Week." "He helped hold us together."
Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young said on the ABC show that King was "led by the spirit" to deliver the speech in front of a crowd of more than 250,000.
"As a preacher, there's something we call being led by the spirit," said Young, who was a civil rights activist who worked with King.
Lewis said King's "let freedom reign" cadence in his "I Have a Dream" speech solidified the moment in history.
"I think people all across America, in their hearts, believe that freedom should reign for everybody," Lewis said.
Lewis also spoke at the 1963 march and said on Sunday that when he stepped up to the podium he realized the enormity of the movement.
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