Photo highlights from John Lewis' life and history - CGTN

John Lewis and his wife, Lillian, leading a march of supporters for a victory party after winning a run-off election for Georgia's Fifth Congressional District seat. (AP/1986)

John Lewis and his wife, Lillian, leading a march of supporters for a victory party after winning a run-off election for Georgia's Fifth Congressional District seat. (AP/1986)

Former U.S. democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton leaning over to talk with Rep. Lewis. (AP/992)

Former U.S. democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton leaning over to talk with Rep. Lewis. (AP/992)

Rep. Lewis and Former U.S. president Bill Clinton at Bloody Sunday anniversary march. (AP/2000)

Rep. Lewis and Former U.S. president Bill Clinton at Bloody Sunday anniversary march. (AP/2000)

Former U.S. President Gerald Ford (L) hugs U.S. Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) after the two men received John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage awards May 21, 2001 at the JFK Presidential Library in Boston. REUTERS/Jim Bourg/File Photo

Former U.S. President Gerald Ford (L) hugs U.S. Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) after the two men received John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage awards May 21, 2001 at the JFK Presidential Library in Boston. REUTERS/Jim Bourg/File Photo

Civil rights leaders Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), L-R, Reverend Al Sharpton and Reverend Jesse Jackson gather after the groundbreaking ceremony for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, November 13, 2006. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

Civil rights leaders Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), L-R, Reverend Al Sharpton and Reverend Jesse Jackson gather after the groundbreaking ceremony for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, November 13, 2006. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

Former U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama (2nd L) hold hands with former President George W Bush (R) and former first lady Laura Bush (L) and U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) during commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the 'Bloody Sunday' historical civil rights march at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, March 7, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

Former U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama (2nd L) hold hands with former President George W Bush (R) and former first lady Laura Bush (L) and U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) during commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the 'Bloody Sunday' historical civil rights march at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, March 7, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

U.S. Representative Terri Sewell (D-AL) (2nd R) hugs Representative John Lewis (D-GA) before his remarks at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, March 7, 2015, with U.S. President Barack Obama looking on. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

U.S. Representative Terri Sewell (D-AL) (2nd R) hugs Representative John Lewis (D-GA) before his remarks at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, March 7, 2015, with U.S. President Barack Obama looking on. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) takes the podium to nominate Hillary Clinton during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. July 26, 2016. REUTERS/Gary Cameron/File Photo

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) takes the podium to nominate Hillary Clinton during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. July 26, 2016. REUTERS/Gary Cameron/File Photo

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) speaks at a news conference about the recent shooting in Las Vegas outside the Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., October 4, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein /File Photo

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) speaks at a news conference about the recent shooting in Las Vegas outside the Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., October 4, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein /File Photo

Rep. John Lewis talked about Immigration and Children. (AP/2018)

Rep. John Lewis talked about Immigration and Children. (AP/2018)

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus wait in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda to enter memorial services for Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) as a group at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. October 24, 2019. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Pool via Reuters/File Photo

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus wait in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda to enter memorial services for Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) as a group at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. October 24, 2019. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Pool via Reuters/File Photo

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John Lewis, a civil rights pioneer and longtime member of Congress, died last week at the age of 80.

His casket arrived at its place of honor inside U.S. Capitol in Washington on Monday. He will be laid to rest Thursday in Atlanta.

Colleagues were able to honor the 17-term congressman from Georgia during a private ceremony.

Due to the pandemic, public viewing is taking place outdoors. Visitors lined up to pay their respects outside the U.S. Capitol.

Lewis played a vital role in the country's civil rights movement of the 1960s and was revered as one of the “Big Six” civil rights leaders, which included the country’s best-known Black leader, Martin Luther King Jr. Having met King when he was just 18, Lewis also became King's protege.

At the 1963 March on Washington, where King famously delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech, Lewis also spoke, the youngest of all civil rights activists there to do so.