'John Lewis: Celebrating a Hero' will air on CBS days after the civil rights icon was laid to rest in Atlanta with former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton in attendance.
- Aug 1, 2020
AceShowbiz - Oprah Winfrey will lead an all-star television tribute to honor late U.S. civil rights icon John Lewis.
The media mogul is set to co-host "John Lewis: Celebrating a Hero" with her best friend Gayle King, filmmaker Tyler Perry and movie star Brad Pitt, with the TV special featuring performances, interviews and inspirational conversations about the late congressman's legacy.
"John Lewis was an extraordinary man," Oprah said in a statement to Variety. "A man of great vision who lived a life with the purpose of making sure America lived out its ideals."
Yolanda Adams, Jon Batiste, Common, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Trevor Noah, Billy Porter and Wynonna will also appear on "John Lewis: Celebrating a Hero", which airs in the U.S. on CBS on August 4, with news of the special landing exactly two weeks after his death.
Lewis, who marched with Martin Luther King Jr. to spearhead the civil rights movements in America, among multiple acts of service aimed at bettering race relations in the country, died at 80 on July 17 after a short battle with advanced pancreatic cancer.
He was laid to rest in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday, with former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton among those delivering remarks at his funeral.
