A packed church of community leaders and other worshippers paid tribute Saturday to the late Rev. James Lawson Jr., the local civil rights icon who died last month at age 95.
Lawson died in Los Angeles on June 9 after a brief illness. His passing touched off tributes from across the country, including from President Joe Biden.
Several other speakers, including former Los Angeles City Councilman and County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and author and historian Jon Meacham, honored Lawson for his friendship and teachings on non-violence. "Jill and I are saddened by the loss of one of our nation's noblest leaders,'' Biden said in a statement after the death. "His passing before Juneteenth is a reminder that our nation's journey from slavery to freedom started in the hearts of people like James Lawson spellbound by freedom. We send our condolences to the Lawson family as our nation mourns a man who helped redeem the soul of our nation.
Released after 13 months, Lawson returned to college to finish his education, then traveled to Nagpur, India as a Methodist missionary to study the nonviolence resistance tactics developed by Mahatma Gandhi.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
South Los Angeles pastor and civil rights icon, Rev. James Lawson Jr., dies at 95Lawson served as pastor at Holman United Methodist Church from 1974 to his retirement in 1999.
Read more »
Civil rights leader Rev. James Lawson Jr. dies in Los Angeles at age 95The Rev. James Lawson Jr., a civil rights activist and close adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., has died at age 95 in Los Angeles.
Read more »
The Rev. James Lawson Jr. has died at 95, civil rights leader's family saysThe Rev. James Lawson Jr., has died. His family said Monday that Lawson died peacefully on Sunday. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. called Lawson “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.” Lawson and King were both 28 years old when they bonded over the ideas of Indian leader Mohandas Ghandi.
Read more »
The Rev. James Lawson Jr. has died at 95, civil rights leader's family saysThe Rev. James Lawson Jr., has died
Read more »
The Rev. James Lawson Jr. has died at 95, civil rights leader's family saysThe Rev. James Lawson Jr., has died.
Read more »
The Rev. James Lawson Jr. has died at 95, civil rights leader's family saysThe Rev. James Lawson Jr., has died.
Read more »