1962 incoming

File — Box: 25, Folder: 27

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

This collection contains the papers of renowned professor, activist, and Civil Rights movement organizer Rev. James Lawson, Jr. The Papers are comprised of close to 80 linear feet of manuscript materials including documents, correspondence, and photographs. Realia/memorabilia in this collection include awards, academic gowns, and other keepsakes.

The dates for these materials range from the late 1920’s when Reverend Lawson was born (September 1928) until the present time and the establishment of the James Lawson Institute for the Research and Study of Nonviolent Movements at Vanderbilt University in early 2022.

Items relating to events in his life such as the Nashville Sit-Ins of 1960; the Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968; and his long ministry in the United Methodist Church are importantly represented in this collection.

Dates

1960 - 1962

Conditions Governing Access

This collection has been digitized and can be viewed at jstor.org/site/vanderbilt/james-lawson-papers. The physical collection may be viewed only in the reading room of the Vanderbilt Special Collections Library. Collections should be requested 2-3 days prior to visiting in order to facilitate easier access. For questions or to request a collection, contact specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu.