The John Lewis Institute of Peace mourns the loss of a giant in the cause of peace in our nation and the world community. The Reverend James Lawson began his commitment to the work of non-violence before he had ever heard of Mohandas Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr.  But in the course of his own life--through the influence of his parents and his mother in particular--he came to see non-violence as an immutable principle, and his demonstration of its power resounds to this day as his greatest legacy.

As a college student, he was a conscientious objector to the Korean War, chose the sacrifice of imprisonment to underscore the need for peace,  and embarked on an independent sojourn to India to walk in the footsteps of Gandhi when he was released. He returned to the states after hearing about the first actions of the Civil Rights Movement. He sought out, Dr. King, while studying divinity at Vanderbilt University and soon earned the mantle as "the mystic of the Civil Right Movement". It was Jim Lawson who infused the inviolable philosophy and discipline of  nonviolent direct action into the foremost leaders of that struggle.   

He was an advisor to Dr. King and a teacher to John Lewis, Diane Nash, Marion Barry, Robert Moses, Bernard Lafayette and many others who headed the Nashville Sit-in Movement, the Freedom Rides, the Student NonViolent Coordinating Committee, and countless other historic actions. His ability to convey the transformative power of nonviolence would become the hallmark of the Movement that would leave an indelible imprint on American history. Almost 70 years later, his work is still  a template worldwide for the ability of nonviolent direct action to speak truth to power and transform a society for the better.

Proponents of the cause of peace all over the world owe an eternal debt to Reverend Lawson for his vision, his leadership, and his commitment to a spiritual life. He will forever remain a towering example of the power of peace and the force of love to overcome the legacy of division, bitterness and hate. May the Reverend James Lawson find his place among the angels and may his life continue to serve as a guide to all who seek an America and a world community that is finally at peace with itself.

Washington, DC

www.jlewispeace.org