Mikey Campbell
Georgia congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis was a guest speaker at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., on Tuesday, where he touted his new graphic novel and talked one-on-one with CEO Tim Cook in a closed door meeting.
Rep. Lewis stopped by Apple as part of a Northern California book tour for "March: Book Two," the second in a planned trilogy of autobiographical graphic novels focusing on the U.S. civil rights movement.
Earlier in the day, Cook tweeted a picture of the two walking through the halls of Apple's Cupertino campus, writing, "Honored to host @RepJohnLewis at Apple today. His 50-year march for justice and equality inspires us. @MARCHTrilogy."
It is unclear what Cook and Rep. Lewis discussed during their private meeting, but the talk comes two months after the Apple chief discussed corporate diversity with prominent civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Cook, who has long-admired African-American Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King, Jr., has become increasingly vocal over the past few months regarding equal rights for minorities. In his induction speech at the Alabama Academy of Honor in October, for example, Cook pushed for reform on topics ranging from education to gender and racial equality.
In the predominantly white tech industry, employee diversification and wage gaps have become hot button topics. Following the lead of other Silicon Valley companies, Apple last year released its first ever report on diversification statistics, revealing that most of its employees are white men. Over the intervening months, the company has made workplace diversity a top priority, coining the phrase "inclusion inspires innovation" that Cook and others use to promote the issue.
Rep. Lewis is scheduled to meet with Google executives later today and will participate in book signings and readings on Wednesday at the San Francisco Public Library and San Francisco State University.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
42 Comments
Cook is living in the past. I think he'd love to have been a politician in the 60s. There is no battle to fight today with regard to civil rights, but he needs to feel there is one to make him feel good. Meanwhile, this is more proof that Cook's heart lies in politics. He's in the wrong job.
Seems like all you need to get a private meeting with Tim Cook these days is some connection to a civil rights movement. Jesse Jackson and now John Lewis. I'm surprised Al Sharpton hasn't tried to peddle is race baiting excrement in Cupertino.
"...no battle to fight today with regard to civil rights..." Really?
[quote name="Benjamin Frost" url="/t/184831/civil-rights-leader-rep-john-lewis-visits-apple-hq-meets-with-ceo-tim-cook#post_2677662"]Cook is living in the past. I think he'd love to have been a politician in the 60s. There is no battle to fight today with regard to civil rights, but he needs to feel there is one to make him feel good. Meanwhile, this is more proof that Cook's heart lies in politics. He's in the wrong job.[/quote] This singlehandledly takes the cake for [B]the[/B] most simple minded comment ever posted by an AppleInsider reader. Or you accidentally omitted your "/S"
[quote name="izaiahmazin" url="/t/184831/civil-rights-leader-rep-john-lewis-visits-apple-hq-meets-with-ceo-tim-cook/0_100#post_2677676"][quote name="Benjamin Frost" url="/t/184831/civil-rights-leader-rep-john-lewis-visits-apple-hq-meets-with-ceo-tim-cook#post_2677662"]Cook is living in the past. I think he'd love to have been a politician in the 60s. There is no battle to fight today with regard to civil rights, but he needs to feel there is one to make him feel good. Meanwhile, this is more proof that Cook's heart lies in politics. He's in the wrong job.[/quote] This singlehandledly takes the cake for [B]the[/B] most simple minded comment ever posted by an AppleInsider reader. Or you accidentally omitted your "/S"[/quote] Nope. No sarcasm required. We have had no new hit under Cook. This Homo sapiens has yet to prove his chops. Canoodling with the likes of Jesse Jackson simply detracts from Apple's core focus. He should know better than to mingle with the wrong crowd.