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James Lawson

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5 out of 5

Reverend & Civil Rights Activist

James Lawson

Speaker RatingSpeaker RatingSpeaker RatingSpeaker RatingSpeaker Rating
5 out of 5

Reverend & Civil Rights Activist

Travels From Travels From:
Nashville, TN, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
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James Lawson Biography

Reverend James M. Lawson, Jr. was one of the Civil Rights Movement's leading theoreticians and tacticians in the African American struggle for freedom and equality in the 1950s and 1960s.

Lawson's interest in civil rights and social justice began in 1947 when he entered Baldwin-Wallace College . During his years at Baldwin-Wallace, he became a member of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) local chapter and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), both of which were devoted advocates of direct nonviolent resistance to racism.

Consistent with his beliefs towards nonviolence, Lawson became a "conscientious objector" during the Korean War, and was sentenced to three years in prison for violating draft laws. Upon his release from prison and the completion of his bachelor's degree, Lawson traveled to India to work the Methodist Board of Missionaries. While in India, he studied the Gandhian principles of Satayagrapha, or the strategy of nonviolence.

Upon returning to the US in 1956, Lawson entered Oberlin College's Graduate School of Theology. In 1957, one of Lawson's professors introduced him to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who urged him to move south and aid in the Civil Rights Movement. Heeding King's advice, Lawson moved to Nashville, Tennessee and enrolled at the Divinity School of Vanderbilt University, where he served as the southern director for FOR and began hosting nonviolence training workshops for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. There Lawson trained many of the future leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, including James Bevel, Diane Nash, John Lewis, Bernard Lafayette, and Marion Barry.

In 1960, Lawson was expelled from Vanderbilt for organizing the Nashville student sit-ins. Lawson moved to Memphis in June 1962, where he became pastor of Centenary Methodist Church, one of the largest churches in the city. He also continued his organizing activity. Throughout the decade, he led various community movements for racial justice in Memphis. In 1968, while involved in the Sanitation Workers strike, he invited Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Memphis to speak where 15,000 people heard his famous "I've Been to the Mountaintop Speech."

In 1974, James Lawson moved to Los Angeles, California where he became pastor of Holman United Methodist Church and continued his social activism now on Palestinian and immigrant rights; gay and lesbian issues; the Iraq wars; and poverty. Rev. Lawson retired from Holman United Methodist Church in 1999.In 2004 Lawson was awarded the Community of Christ International Peace Award.

Lawson has continued to train activists in nonviolence and to work in support of a number of civil rights causes, including immigrants' rights in the United States and the rights of Palestinians, opposition to the war in Iraq, and workers' rights to a living wage.

James Lawson Videos

  • James Lawson - Gandhi and Nonviolence - YouTube
  • Shaping Your Destiny | Rev. James M. Lawson, Jr. | TEDxCrenshaw ...
  • James Lawson: Reflections on Life, Nonviolence, Civil Rights, MLK ...

FAQs on booking James Lawson

  • How do I book James Lawson to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like James Lawson for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for James Lawson, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for James Lawson or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for James Lawson

    Speaking fees for James Lawson, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book James Lawson are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire James Lawson, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does James Lawson speak about?

    James Lawson is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Activism, Black History, Christian Speakers, Diversity Speakers, Faith & Religion, Virtual Speakers.
  • Where does James Lawson travel from?

    James Lawson generally travels from Nashville, TN, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is James Lawson’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like James Lawson for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book James Lawson for your next private or corporate function.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host James Lawson or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
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James Lawson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book James Lawson for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. James Lawson generally travels from Nashville, TN, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Xernona Clayton, Yusef Salaam, Maya L. Harris, Minnijean Brown Trickey and Ijeoma Oluo. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling James Lawson for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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