Originally published as "Lyle Johnson speaks of marching with Martin Luther King Jr." in The Register-Mail in Galesburg, IL 

Lyle Johnson, 80, of Galesburg, spoke Sunday afternoon to a group of 19 foreign exchange students at Lieber’s Boxcar Express, sharing his experience as a civil rights activist in the 1960s.

The students, who came from Cameroon, Saudi Arabia, Latvia, Kuwait, Suriname and more, sat enthralled by Johnson. He told of going to Montgomery, Alabama, in March of 1965 to march with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Riding a bus from Chicago with other activists, he learned quickly the abuse he and others would face.

“I’ve never been called so many names until I met a Montgomery policeman,” said Johnson, regarding his arrival in Alabama. “National Guardsmen were on the rooftops, we hoped, to protect us.”

Johnson told of the difficulties of something as simple as getting food, as the white community refused to serve the activists. He also spoke of meeting Viola Liuzzo, a fellow activist who was soon killed by the Ku Klux Klan.

His work with Dr. King continued during the Chicago Freedom Movement, and he was arrested with others while blocking traffic at State and Madison streets, along with other activists.

Johnson lamented the loss of Dr. King in 1968, who he had gotten to know well. “I was always very impressed with him, he was so charismatic and had such a powerful message,” he said. Later on, Johnson was also able to work with Rev. Jesse Jackson.

The students, who are attending schools in rural Iowa, Illinois and the Quad Cities, lined up afterwards to take pictures and speak with Johnson. Jordan Fares, (YES 2016-2017, Jordan, hosted by American Councils near Galesburg, IL), spoke of his feelings on the day. “I think it’s a wonderful thing to hear him,” Fares said. “This country has so much history, and it’s wonderful to hear about from someone who was there.”

“I had a burning desire to hear him because there are very few people who have experienced such things," said Muhammad Haroon, (YES 2016-2017, Pakistan, hosted by American Councils near Galesburg, IL). "It was very interesting to hear from a person who has done such a great thing, I’ve only heard of people like this.”

Regarding his experience in America, “It was better than expected. I really had no idea what to expect before coming here. I’ve had new foods and had never before seen American football. I learned I’m good at it and play for my high school now,” he smiled.

Deb Bowen, who arranged the day, said the students have been very curious to learn of men such as Dr. King and Abraham Lincoln since coming to America. The students are scholarship recipients, from the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study program and Future Leaders Exchange program.

“It’s important to lose the bad impressions and give everyone a chance,” Bowen said.

Lyle Johnson did not just speak about the past, but of today. He expressed his support of the Black Lives Matter movement and the Native American protests of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Comparing the atmosphere of Montgomery in 1965 to the protest sites going on today in North Dakota and Iowa he spoke of the importance of non-violence, advising “you have to stay non-violent, you lose the moral high ground when you fight with violence. You become as bad as they are.”

While Johnson had already contributed financially to the pipeline protesters and has a daughter-in-law and grandson among the activists, he hopes to go in person to join.

When asked if he ever gets discouraged, he answered “never then, sometimes I am now because it’s still going on, but I never quit.”