Rev. James Lawson's name might not resonate as widely as that of other leaders of the Civil Rights movement, but during the 1950s and ‘60s he was a trusted adviser and confidante to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and was with the great leader when he was assassinated in Memphis in 1968. Michael Honey's documentary provides an invaluable consideration of Lawson's career during the crucial years when African Americans struggled to achieve social and political equality, and it also looks at Lawson's work in Los Angeles during the 1970s when he led a campaign of nonviolence to help the city's labor movement in their efforts to gain economic justice. Lawson is presented as a voice of wisdom and moderation in the face of challenging and often heinous environments, and his serenity as an observer while dealing with the worst of human emotions is matched by his brilliance as a political organizer and media-savvy activist. Throughout his adult life, Lawson has consistently shied away from the spotlight, preferring to cede public attention to the more electrifying personalities of the Civil Rights era (most notably, Dr. King and Cesar Chavez) while working privately to motivate people through a combination of theology and old-fashioned grit. Paying welcome tribute to the now-octogenarian Lawson's long-unheralded achievements, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Love & Solidarity
(2016) 38 min. DVD: $225. Bullfrog Films. PPR. SDH captioned. ISBN: 1-941545-59-9. Volume 32, Issue 1
Love & Solidarity
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