When democratic Georgia Congressman John Lewis was in his 20s, he became one of the “Big Six” leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.

Speakers used Lewis’ life as a call to action Friday to encourage students to impact change in their 20s at a discussion on the three-part graphic memoir “MARCH,” which chronicles the Civil Rights Movement through the congressman’s perspective.

Lewis was scheduled to appear at the event, but was unable to attend because of the delay in voting on a health care bill in the House of Representatives, event organizer Cherise Smith said. 

The event began with a screening of the documentary “John Lewis – Get in the Way” and was followed by a conversation about “MARCH” with Lewis’ co-author Andrew Aydin and illustrator Nate Powell. 

Aydin, who is the congressman’s digital director and policy advisor, said there is a “nine-word problem” in the United States when it comes to a lack of knowledge about the Civil Rights Movement. 

“Most students graduate from high school knowing only nine words on the Civil Rights Movement,” Aydin said. “They only know ‘Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, I Have a Dream’ and that’s it. How can you understand the politics of today if you do not understand what happened in the Civil Rights Movement?”

Aydin said because “MARCH” is a graphic novel, it can help reach and educate younger audiences. 

“I was really moved by the fact that this was all in a comic book,” history senior Claire Patten said. “You don’t really think about comic books generally as a form of activism or inspiring people.” 

The event put on by the John L. Warfield Center for African and African-American Studies, the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the LBJ Presidential Library coincided with the Warfield Center’s exhibit “March ON!,” which showcases original drawings from “MARCH” and other artwork from the Civil Rights Movement.

Warfield Center director Smith said she hopes the event helps people understand the importance of history and how it impacts the present.    

“People should know that their individual inflective actions are important to democracy and they can affect change,” Smith said. “They should also hopefully understand how important art is in motivating and telling people to participate in our democracy.”

The “March ON!” exhibit will be on display Wednesday to Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. through April 17 in the Christian-Green Gallery in Jester Center.