WASHINGTON — The legacy of renowned civil rights leader John Lewis, who served as a Georgia congressman for more than three decades before his death, continues to be honored in the U.S.

Members of Congress unveiled a United States Postal Services stamp in honor of Lewis at a June 21 ceremony.

“Congressman Lewis was an American hero, a civil rights giant and a revered Georgian,” said Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., adding he began his career in public service under Lewis. “This stamp is a continuation of our collective national effort to magnify Congressman Lewis’ indelible legacy and monumental impact on American history.”

Democrats in Congress have also urged passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to expand voter access.

Lewis died in July 2020 at age 80 following a months-long battle with pancreatic cancer. He played an active role in civil rights protests in the 1960s and was known for his involvement in desegregation as a Freedom Rider, and his leadership in a voting rights march that later become known as Bloody Sunday.

In a December 2020 news release, the USPS said Lewis was devoted to equality and justice for all Americans, and spent his time in Congress defending and building civil rights.

“Even in the face of hatred and violence, as well as some 45 arrests, Lewis remained resolute in his commitment to what he liked to call ‘good trouble,’” the USPS stated.

The stamp features a photograph of Lewis taken by Marco Grob on assignment for the Aug. 26, 2013, issue of Time magazine.

The John Lewis stamps will be available for 63 cents each beginning July 21 as part of USPS’s Forever Stamp, which can be used to send one ounce of First-Class Mail even if stamp prices increase in the future, according to USPS.

A first-day-of-issue event for the John Lewis Forever stamp is free and open to the public noon, July 21. The event will be held at Morehouse College’s Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel, 830 Westview Drive SW, Atlanta.

Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/johnlewis.