Additional Lawson Cuts

Video Cuts are from interviews conducted with James Lawson in Los Angeles 2014 and Lawson speaking engagements at UW Tacoma and Shiloh Baptist Church (Tacoma) in 2008. To view the Tacoma engagements in their entirety, visit the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies

1. Defining Violence

a) Definitions: Power & Violence, UWT Talk
b) US is a violent nation, UWT Talk

2. Defining Nonviolence

a) Definition: Nonviolence, UWT Talk
b) Non-violence is not cowardly or passive, Shiloh Talk
c) Non-violence has a personal dimension (includes story about being denied a hotel room in DC), Lawson LA Interview, Part 2
d) Non-violence calls for the building of community, long-term struggle,Shiloh Talk

3. The Four Steps of Nonviolent Action

a) Step 1: Focus (define issues, imagine solutions, investigate, recruit, educate, empower), UWT Talk
b) Step 1: Build Community, Lawson LA Interview, Part 1
c) Step 2: Negotiation, protracted struggle, UWT Talk
d) Step 2: Stay on Target / Methodology of social change, Lawson LA Interview, Part 1
e) Step 3: Direct action – escalation & disruption of business and daily life, UWT Talk
f) Step 4: Followup – analysis, implementation of agreements, healing, next steps, UWT Talk
g) Story: Easter protest in Birmingham; the mystery of non-violence, Shiloh Talk

4. Nonviolent Solutions

a) Non-violence as a lifestyle, not just a method of protest, Shiloh Talk
b) A post-violence society, UWT Talk
c) Call to movement – we are the ones who will make a difference, Shiloh Talk
d) Revolution of convergence – ending oppression for all, Shiloh Talk

Lawson Lectures and Speaking Engagements

Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies, Univ. of Washington

• Two videos from Lawson’s 2008 speaking engagements in Tacoma (UW Tacoma and Shilo Baptist Church)

California State University Northridge- Youtube Page

• Civil Discourse and Social Change, Rev. James Lawson Lecture Series –  5 videos

Center for the Study of Political Graphics- Youtube Page

• “Art of Resistance – Angela Davis and Rev. James Lawson”
  • Part 1
  • Part 2

 The Veterans of Hope Project

• 5 Short Videos from James Lawson interview

International Center of Nonviolent Conflict- Youtube Page, Fletcher Summer Institutes (FSI)

• James Lawson Delivers Keynote Addresses
  • FSI 2010
  • FSI 2011
  • FSI 2013
  • FSI 2014

University of Mississippi, Winter Institute Lectures- Vimeo, International Conference on Race: Race Reconciliation, 10/31/2003

• James Lawson keynote address
  • 2- Lawson expresses significance and importance of William Winter Institute at University of Mississippi
  • 3- Lawson speaks of his connection to Mississippi and Will Campbell
  • 4-Lawson speaks of his first trip to Mississippi
  • 5- Lawson speaks about his first trip to Mississippi on behalf of the movement
  • 6- Lawson speaks of his ties to Mississippi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • 7- Lawson tells a story about segregation on a bus
  • 8- Lawson speaks of nationally shared traits of denial, shame, and guilt about our history as well as President Clinton’s Initiative on Race
  • 9- Lawson says racism is inherited and warns not to take a lecture on racism personally
  • 10-Lawson Speaks of the responsibility to become a whole person and to work to eradicate racism
  • 11- Lawson on Pat Robertson and ties between racism and homophobia
  • 12- Lawson defines racism, power, and violence
  • 13- Lawson discusses white supremacy as a component of racism
  • 14- Racism is a structure that includes economic exploitation and immigration
  • 15- Lawson on immigration as a human right
  • 16- Lawson on racism as a structure that includes greed
  • 17- Lawson discusses the holocaust of Native Americans
  • 18- Rev. Lawson discusses fear of the other and beginnings of racism
  • 19- Lawson on racism today
  • 20- Lawson on continuing segregation in public education; racism is not dying
  • 21- Lawson on racism and “a slavery unwilling to die”
  • 22- Lawson on the impact of daily racism claiming that racism is more pervasive than at any other point in his lifetime
  • 23- Lawson says we cannot break with racism without knowing what it is
  • 24- Rev. Lawson says that the responsibility for religious people is to help others become whole human beings. This can be done through working to dismantle racism and helping “lay the framework by which the will of God can be expressed.”
  • 25- Lawson on the work of race reconciliation
  • 26- Lawson calls on the audience to be possessed by a love that will not let them go
  • 27- Lawson is asked about a definition for reconciliation
  • 28- Definition for reconciliation continued with personal anecdote
  • 29-Lawson on his initial reaction of hearing of the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Donnie L. Betts-Vimeo

• “Rev. James Lawson Speaking During the Radio Drama Series Destination Freedom”
• “Council of Elders final,” Lawson and others stand in solidarity with Occcupy Denver

Northern Illinois Conference-Vimeo

• “Rev. James Lawson Speaks at MLK Celebration”

Larry Gross-Vimeo

• “Rev. James Lawson Speaks About His Relationship with Dr. MLK & Wkrs’ Rights at LA April 4 Labor Rally in Solidarity with Wisconsin”

Wittenberg University- Vimeo, Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Convocation

• Rev. James Lawson speaks

Reconciling Ministries Vimeo, “Rev. James Lawson”

• Lawson addresses the General Conference on racism and heterosexism

Lincoln Harrison- Vimeo, “CSUN On-Point 12/07/10, Host: Rory O’ Sullivan”

• Guests: Rev. James Lawson and Professor Shirley Svorny

Islamic Shura Council of Southern California

• “Nonviolence Direct Action Workshop with Rev. James Lawson” from 5/18/2013”