The Reverend Joseph Lowery was an icon of the civil rights movement, responsible for organizing thousands and inspiring millions.

Our T.

J.

Holmes has his story.

The dean has gone home after a life of service that put him on the front lines of civil rights battles that shaped the nation.

Reverend Joseph H.

Lowry passed away this weekend at the age of 98 surrounded by family at his home in Atlanta.

With his goatee, signature, soul patch and longevity, Lowry was affectionately called the dean of the civil rights movement.

And while little kids may learn the name Dr Martin Luther King Jr in their textbooks, Lowry was also right there by King Side through much of the movement.

A co founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, along with Dr King, it was Lowery who helped lead the bus boycott in Montgomery, that maid Rosa Parks Ah, household name.

It was Laurie who delivered the demands for the SoMa to Montgomery March, which led to passage of the Voting Rights Act, a defining moment of the civil rights movement.

Though he retired from the pulpit and his role as president of the SCLC in the nineties, he remained engaged in public debate and politics.

He was a supporter of LGBT Q Plus rights, and while many of the old guard lined up in support of Hillary Clinton, Lowry was an early supporter of Senator Barack Obama.

He later delivered the benediction at Obama's inauguration and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

The Reverend Joseph Lowery is a giant of the Moses generation of civil rights leaders.

It was just King Lowry and a few others huddled in Montgomery, who laid the groundwork for the bus boycott and the movement that was to follow Lowry's fiery tell it like it is yet gentlemanly style with on full display in 2006.

Speaking at the funeral of Coretta Scott King and with former President George W.

Bush just feet away, presidents and governors come to mourn and praise.

But in the morning, words become deeds that meat needs.

It was classic flowery.

In a statement on his passing, president Obama called Lori a giant who led so many of us stand on his shoulders a giant, a Titan, an icon or just the dean.

Reverend Lowery fought and won battles for decades That changed America.

The dean, indeed, in TJ Holmes joins us now live TJ.

Larry was once called the most prominent survival of the civil rights movement, the human and symbolically going all the way back.

You were telling me earlier about meeting him yourself several times and the words that he shared with you and the lasting impression I want to hear that and also what you think his legacy is.

I mean, this was they were losing an original here on again.

I know a lot of people know that, Dr King, but they don't know the name is well of Ralph Abernathy or Fred Shuttlesworth or jokes of lottery.

These were the guys were right there next to Dr King through this, and and Joseph Lowery was the guy in charge, essentially of the boycott in Montgomery.

He was the guy who was there and who helped with that Selma march that got the Voting Rights Act passed.

These were moments that changed what this country became.

That's who he waas.

This was a titan among titans.

This was an icon, and look, I was when I moved to Atlanta, was seeing in there is an anchor for five years, and I was blessed to be around some of these guys like Lowry and Ambassador on Drew Young.

And these guys kind of showed me the way, if you will, and it's a blessing of my life to have been able to spend the time I got to spend with him, interviewed him several times, but also just around him in Atlanta.

Andi, one of those times I was telling you about.

He pointed at me, pointed in my face and said, You are the reason we don't have a civil rights movement today saying Young black folks like me and you, Lindsay who?

We get opportunity and we get comfortable, right?

We get comfortable and we forget there's still something worth fighting for and that kind of sticks with you and that will be with me the rest of my life.

And he was such a profound man, So Esteem, but also had a sense of humor, talked to us about that moment when you talked to him after he had gotten the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Oh, Yeah, yeah, he was had on set.

I might show it.

Seeing it just days after he got that Medal of Freedom.

He was still wearing it at the time, and I asked if he had taken it off yet.

And he told me No, he was joking around, but he said I wasn't even shower in that thing.

He actually said, Yeah, keep it on in the shower.

Just lean out a little bit so I don't get it wet.

That's I mean, this is the guy who was at the time, almost 90 years old, but that was always a sense of humor.

He was just always had this way about him that you almost wanted to bow when he walked in the room.

He just felt like royalty.

Just a regal, gentlemanly but fiery guy and certainly African Americans and Americans in general.

Oh, quite a debt to this titan of a man who was arrested, shot at, organized and led countless March is a man who, as you mentioned, known as the dean of the civil rights movement at any other time and under any other circumstances, this funeral would have been, ah, massive salute and home going that would rival that of some of the most revered leaders that we have.

So now what?

I mean, what's the plan as far as a funeral or memorial service for him?

Yeah, this is just where we are now.

In a lot of families are going through this right.

I had a member of my family over the weekend that someone passed.

They had to stream the funeral.

A lot of people are going through this right now, but with someone like Joseph Lau, who would get something the equivalent of a state funeral, everybody would show up to his funeral the biggest names in politics.

And you could imagine they can't do it because of where we are with Corona virus right now.

And they have put out a statement, his foundation saying that they're going to a small, a private family funeral.

But they hope to do a larger public event, sometimes late summer or in the fall.

So we still could see that.

But this is just where we are right now, but I really appreciate it too, appreciative to you guys for taking the time to still give this man his props to take time on your show.

I know a lot going on in the world, but this is a man who, no matter what's going on, deserves more for sure Could not agree with you more this Waas necessary.

And TJ Holmes, we thank you for bringing his story to us.

Thank you, TJ.

Hi, everyone.

George Stephanopoulos Here.

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