John Lewis, the iconic activist of non-violence and civil rights in the United States, a former companion of Martin Luther King, has died at the age of 80 years, announced Friday the House of representatives, of which he was part.

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" today, America mourns the loss of one of the greatest heroes of american History ", wrote the president of the House of representatives, Nancy Pelosi, in a press release. Ms. Pelosi has described Lewis, a democrat like her, and who was suffering from cancer of the pancreas, as " a titan of the civil rights movement, whose goodness, faith, and bravery have transformed our nation ".