Walking with the Wind

What, in your view, was the greatest crisis or challenge Lewis faced in his memoir, and how did he overcome it?

Did the CRM make the US a fairer, more inclusive, and just democracy? Why or why not?

What does Lewis mean when he states, “Combating segregation is one thing. Dealing with racism is another” (364)? Do you think Americans have finally dealt with racism? Why or why not?

According to Lewis, who are the most important figures in the CRM? What examples does Lewis present that support this position? Do you find his argument compelling? Why or why not?

Lewis argues that the assassinations of Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy resulted in something dying in all of America in 1968. What does Lewis believe the American public lost as a result of their deaths and how can they get it back?

What was the significance of the Selma to Montgomery March? Why does Lewis believe that “Selma was the last act” (362)?

Analyze the metaphor behind the title of Lewis’s memoir, Walking with the Wind. How does Lewis understand and define the experience of “walking with the wind”?

Why did the CRM of the 1950s and 1960s end? Describe Lewis’s theories for why the movement fell apart. What does he blame most and why?