ATLANTA — It was a brief encounter, but as with nearly everyone who ever met the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis, the meeting was impactful.
It was 2005 at an art fair and sculptor Basil Watson, just three years after moving to Atlanta from Jamaica, got word that the civil rights legend and longtime Congressman was going to stop by.
“There was a big excitement that he was coming,” Watson said. “He came by and shook my hand and we spoke briefly. I was impressed by his calm and peaceful nature. I sensed someone of great passion and empathy. My feelings for him grew more and more over the years.”
