Rep. John Lewis to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis will be given the nation's highest civilian honor from President Barack Obama today. Lewis  was born the son of southern sharecroppers and went on to organize lunch counter sit-ins in Nashville, and later spoke at the 1963 March on Washington before the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. In 1965, Lewis led the march from Selma to Montgomery to petition for voting rights. He has been a Georgia congressman since 1987. When the 70-year-old Lewis learned he would be among this year's honorees, he said he was nearly moved to tears.

Shortly after the election of Barack Obama, Rep. Lewis spoke with Brian Williams about the significance of the event, both personally and historically. You can watch the interviews below: