“Generations from now, when parents teach their children what is meant by courage, the story of John Lewis will come to mind: an American who knew that change could not wait for some other person or some other time,” Obama said.

The Georgia congressman said the award was even more special coming from Obama.

“If someone had told me that one day I would be standing in the White House and an African-American president would be presenting me the Medal of Freedom I would say, ‘Are you crazy? Are you out of your mind?’” he told reporters afterward. “It’s just an impossible dream.”

Also nice that Bill Russell and Maya Angelou were recognized, as well.

That got me to thinking of other images from civil unrest past.

Boston in 1770:

Engraving by Paul Revere

Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859:

Illustration from Harper's Weekly

Birmingham, Alabama in 1963:

Photograph by Bill Hudson

Kent State University in 1970:

Photograph by John Filo

Tiananmen Square in 1989:

Photograph by Jeff Widener

Los Angeles in 1992:

Screenshot from KTLA

Seattle in 1999:

Photography by Steve Kaiser