How Did Lawson Influence The Civil Rights Movement

James Morris Lawson has been called one of the greatest nonviolent direct-action teachers to have ever lived. Martin Luther King, Jr, a Civil Rights icon, even believed that Lawson was something out of the ordinary. James Lawson worked and sculpted himself into what some would say, a monumental man, for his nonviolent tactics and forms of direct action during the Civil Rights movement. His views on racial equality through nonviolent means were foundational to the later Civil Rights leaders of the 1960’s. His commitment to political activism and equality developed at a young age, has not diminished in over seventy years. Throughout Lawsons life, there are direct correlations between his work and moral ethics to theories pioneered by the genius

Altruism is the belief or practice of selflessness or selfless concern for the wellbeing of others (Oxford Dictionary). Lawson’s life is parallel to the meaning of altruism. American Psychologist, Jaqueline Mattis delves deep into the study of altruism and what causes the selflessness of one’s self. Mattis uses the definition of “someone who does something for the other and for the other's sake, rather than as a means to self-promotion or internal well-being…” (Oliner p. 53). It is clear that Lawson’s goal is consistent with the ideals of altruism. Mattis created fourteen categories that encapsulated the ideas that emerged from reviewing the concepts of altruism. Lawson exemplifies many of these need-based motives for the caring of others. Lawson’s “response to community needs” (Mattis) is the response to the societal oppression of African Americans during the Civil Rights movement. The problem that the United States was segregated because of racial inequality drove Lawson to forms of activism to gain the equality and justice that every man deserves. Another ideological form was through religion and spirituality(Mattis). This correlates directly with Lawson’s teaching of nonviolent direct action. Lawson drew examples of Jesus Christ suffering in biblical context and compared them to the struggles that African Americans faced during the civil rights era. He showed that Christ’s struggles were not so different from his peoples and conveyed the message that the power of nonviolent direct action was ultimately the best course of activism. Lawson’s “Expression of Love” (Mattis) for the oppressed people of America is shown through his dedication of learning and reciprocating Gandhian and Christ like values to those in America. He moved around the country to help support the civil rights by conducting seminars that taught students ways and methods of nonviolent tactics. During the