Keynote Address: Rev. James Lawson

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FSI 2012

Keynote Address: Rev. James Lawson

Speaker: Rev. James Lawson / Distinguished Scholar, Vanderbilt University

Date: Sunday, June 24th, 2012
Time: 9:00pm - 10:30pm

Description: Rev. James Lawson was one of Dr. Martin Luther King's key strategists during the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Having traveled to India to learn about Gandhian nonviolence, upon returning to the United States Lawson would put what he learned into action throughout the American South, integrating mass-based, nonviolent direct action into some of the movement's most successful campaigns - the lunch-counter sit-ins, the freedom rides, the sanitation worker's strike, and many more. A gifted trainer of nonviolent action, a committed voice for social justice, and a distinguished scholar, James Lawson speaks about his experience during the Civil Rights Movement and the role of civil resistance and nonviolence in contemporary struggles for rights and justice. The keynote address is preceded by a segment from the film, A Force More Powerful.

Watch the Keynote:

Additional Resources:

Curation of Key Tweets and Resources
Ackerman, Peter & DuVall, Jack. A Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict. New York: Palgrave, 2001.
Lawson, James. Lawson on Gandhi and Nonviolence (interview). June, 2009
Lawson, James. Lawson on Training for Nonviolent Resistance (interview). June, 2009.
Nelson, Stanley. Freedom Riders (documentary film). Firelight Films, 2011.
NPT. A Conversation with James Lawson (interview).
York, Steve. A Force More Powerful (documentary film). A Force More Poweful Films: September, 2001

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Comments

0 #3 Non violence Action — 2012-07-12 23:51

I am still thinking that non violence action and other civil resistance is different. What i see the form of non violence action by Gandhi and Martin Luther King, they are very consistent on the principles of non violent action,while other civil resistance often use tactics which may provoke violent action from the opponent. I think James Lawson need explore about it. When we got wrong understanding on this, to me, it is dangerous. Because the spirit of Gandhi is non violent action. I hope i could get clarify on the different between non violence action, civil resistance, civil righst movement, peace movement, etc. I know this may be useless, but once we are clear about definition then it will help alot in designing our own movement in the future

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0 #2 Director General — 2012-06-26 13:57

Dear Honourable Mr Lawson,

Many thanks for your significant contribution to empowering us on civil resistance movement. I am a former participant of this Summer School (2010).

What could be the best approach to implementing a succesfull civil movement in Sub Saharan Africa where the illetracy rate is high and the access to internet very poor?
I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Aliou Barry

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0 #1 Manging Life and Death — 2012-06-25 06:36

There was a great question from the audience after Lawson's keynote. How do you manage one's willingness to be hurt and to die with their willingness to live when organizing a civil resistance movement and training people in nonviolent direct action?

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