WASHINGTON -- Nearly 26 hours after Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) strolled across the House floor and sat down to protest the absence of gun reform from the legislative docket, he and his fellow Democrats called an end to the demonstration.

The 76-year-old civil rights icon was, appropriately, the last to speak at the lectern where numerous other colleagues had taken their turns to demand consideration of two bills that would bar those on a no-fly list from purchasing firearms and require background checks for gun purchases at gun shows and online. The Democrats had remained there through the night, even as Republican leadership had recessed the House, denying the protest live coverage on C-SPAN. The lawmakers who stayed used Periscope, a smartphone app that live-streams video, and Facebook Live videos, to get the word out instead.

Ultimately, Lewis didnt get a vote. And even if he had, it wasnt likely that the bill would have passed. But the sit-in did galvanize the party and the public, with throngs of people flocking to the Capitol grounds Wednesday night to cheer on the congressional disruption.

It is a struggle and we are going to win the struggle, Lewis said, as he wrapped up the sit-in.

In the hours leading up to that unsatisfying conclusion, lawmakers struggled with the gravity of what they were doing: from their decision to break House rules to their plans for what would come next.

One year ago this month, Rep. Jim Clyburns (D-S.C.) district was reeling after nine people were shot dead in a historic black church in Charleston. But it was his decades in the civil rights movement, fighting alongside Lewis, that came back to him.

In a strange sort of way for us to be on this floor today talking about the right to vote tells us a little about about how much remains to be done, he said in an interview with HuffPost. Despite the fact that the speaker has used his power to keep this legislation off of the floor, has used his power to shut down debate on this critical issue, its an idea whose time has come.

Sitting on the floor of the House for hours on end, Clyburn said, was the most dynamic emotion Ive felt since Ive been here, and this is my 24th year.

Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), who didnt leave the floor until almost 4 a.m. Thursday, was reminded of a similar debate last year. It was Dec. 2 and Democrats were trying to force debate on the "no fly, no buy" bill. Moments after the attempt failed, Aguilar walked off the floor. His phone buzzed with texts messages and calls from people back home in San Bernardino. Fourteen were dead, and 21 injured.

They teach you a lot here on how to handle casework, but no one teaches you how to comfort someone who has gone through tragedy like this and thats what I was thrust into, Aguilar told HuffPost.

When House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) gaveled back into session late Wednesday evening, trying to bring the chamber back to order, Aguilar said he, too, couldn't help but turn to Lewis.

Its not the same if other members said the exact same words but John Lewis is a powerful force who has stood time and time again on the right side of history and right side of our communities, Aguilar said. How can you leave the floor if John Lewis is having a sit-in on the floor of Congress.