Rep. John Lewis, A Force In The Civil Rights Movement, Dead At 80

John Lewis — an icon of the civil rights movement, congressman and, for decades, a force in Democratic politics — died at age 80 on Friday.

Lewis had been treated for advanced-stage pancreatic cancer after being diagnosed during a routine medical exam. He publicly disclosed his diagnosis in late December.

"He was honored and respected as the conscience of the US Congress and an icon of American history, but we knew him as a loving father and brother," Lewis' family said in a statement. "He was a stalwart champion in the on-going struggle to demand respect for the dignity and worth of every human being. He dedicated his entire life to non-violent activism and was an outspoken advocate in the struggle for equal justice in America. He will be deeply missed."

"The world has lost a legend; the civil rights movement has lost an icon," the Congressional Black Caucus said in a statement Friday evening.