Apple donating its cut from 'John Lewis - Good Trouble' documentary to charity

Apple is donating its share of earnings from documentary film "John Lewis: Good Trouble" to the National Civil Rights Museum and National Museum of African American History and Culture.

"Representative John Lewis's life and example compel each of us to continue the fight for racial equity and justice," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. "This film celebrates his undeniable legacy, and we felt it fitting to support two cultural institutions that continue his mission of educating people everywhere about the ongoing quest for equal rights."

"John Lewis: Good Trouble," directed by Dawn Porter, documents US Representative John Lewis' 60 years of activism. Rep. Lewis is best known as a civil rights movement pioneer, one of the "Big Six" civil rights leaders alongside Martin Luther King Jr. One of the organizers behind the 1963 March on Washington, he spoke at the same rally as Dr King's historic "I Have a Dream" speech, and after helping found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, he became its chairman from 1963 until 1966.

Organizing the march across the Pettus Bridge in Selma in 1965, which led to the event known as "Bloody Sunday," Lewis and others were beaten by state troopers, with the news images of the attacks credited with helping pass forward the 1965 Voting Rights Act. He was also asked by President Jimmy Carter in 1977 to lead the ACTION federal volunteer agency.

He was elected to congress in 1986, serving from January 1987 onwards as a representative for Georgia's 5th district. President Barack Obama presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.

Lewis passed away following a battle with pancreatic cancer, which he revealed was at stage 4 in December 2019.

The National Civil Rights Museum is located in Memphis, Tennessee. The National Museum of African American History and Culture is in Washington, D.C.

"The life and legacy of John Lewis, a National Civil Rights Museum Freedom Award recipient, is celebrated throughout the museum," said Terri Lee Freeman, the National Civil Rights Museum's president. "This timely contribution will help expand our digital platforms, allowing us to reach many more students, parents, and educators globally, and to continue as a catalyst for positive social change, as Representative Lewis encouraged us all to be. We are grateful to Apple for this incredible gift honoring him."

"Representative John Lewis was a central leader in helping create the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Because of his pivotal role in American history, he understood the impact a history museum like ours could have on the world," the National Museum of African American History and Culture's interim director Spencer Crew said. "For many years, he was the angel who kept the dream of the museum alive, and he made sure we got the presidential and congressional support needed to open in 2016. As a civil rights leader, he had a vision of what was possible for the nation. He had a similar vision for the museum, which helped make it a reality. Apple's gift in his honor will help us continue to fulfill our mission."

Apple users in the US and Canada can rent "John Lewis: Good Trouble" in the Apple TV app on any of its platforms. It is also available on third-party televisions that support the Apple TV app.