Civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis visits Apple HQ, meets with CEO Tim Cook

Source: Tim Cook via Twitter

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.