Famed civil rights attorney Fred Gray Sr.—the man the late Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta called “my lawyer”—is scheduled to receive the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in a White House ceremony Thursday.

“This award means a great deal to me, an African American civil rights lawyer who was born in the ghettos of Montgomery, Alabama,” Gray said in a statement released by U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Alabama, who nominated him for the honor. “It speaks volumes to civil rights workers who have devoted their talents and resources toward improving the quality of life of Americans in this country; and it speaks directly to African Americans in general. When I filed the various civil rights cases from 1955 to date, I was concerned about African Americans receiving the same constitutional rights as all other Americans. We have made substantial progress but the struggle for the elimination of racism and for equal justice continues. I hope this award will encourage other Americans to do what they can to complete the task so that all American citizens will be treated the same, equally and fairly, in accordance with the Constitution.”

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