Rep. John Lewis , the legendary civil rights leader who helped organize the March on Washington and was later known as the conscience of Congress, died Friday at age 80.

The Georgia Democrat announced in December 2019 that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer .

I have been in some kind of fight for freedom, equality, basic human rights for nearly my entire life, Lewis said in a statement at the time. I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now.