Reps. Cleaver, Khanna, Clyburn, and Cohen Introduce Bill to Award Reverend James Lawson Jr. the Congressional Gold Medal

(Washington, D.C.) – This week, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Ro Khanna (D-CA), James Clyburn (D-SC), and Steve Cohen (D-TN) reintroduced legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to civil rights icon Reverend James Lawson Jr., who sadly passed away earlier this month. The lawmakers intend to reintroduce the bill every Congress until it is passed into law.

“As one of the many pupils who are proud to call him a mentor, I am truly humbled to join this important effort to honor the life, legacy, and colossal impact of the great Reverend James Lawson Jr.,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Reverend Lawson’s teachings and inexorable commitment to nonviolence techniques proved pivotal in the fight for civil rights, shining a light on the horrors of Jim Crow and providing a path to salvation for millions to follow. There are few Americans in history who have done more to ensure the nation lives up to its founding promise of equality and freedom for all, and the Congressional Gold Medal is an appropriate recognition from a grateful nation for his lifetime of service.”

“I am honored to sponsor this legislation recognizing the remarkable advocacy of Reverend Lawson. Lawson shared the lessons of nonviolence he learned studying Ghandi's philosophy with countless Civil Rights organizers, catalyzing the movement’s use of nonviolent resistance.” said Rep. Khanna. “The teachings of Lawson and Ghandi demonstrate the interconnected nature of the struggles of oppressed people around the world and across generations. I will be forever grateful to the Reverend for the impact his work has had on our country. ”

“I am pleased to join this effort to honor the life and legacy of Reverend James Lawson, Jr.” said Congressman Clyburn. “Reverend Lawson, Jr. was a steadfast advocate and mentor for those of us who became a part of the nonviolence movement, and his teachings continue to inspire me in my work to create a more perfect Union. The Congressional Gold Medal would be a fitting recognition for his iconic leadership and noble sacrifice.”

“Reverend Lawson was an instrumental force in changing America for the better,” said Congressman Cohen. “He originated with Dr. King the idea of nonviolence as a tool for the Civil Rights Movement. He traveled to India to study the practices of Gandhi that led to India’s independence. He was directly involved in the civil rights struggles in Nashville and Memphis, and after those struggles he continued to speak against injustices everywhere, and advocated for peace in Vietnam and other places. His was a life well lived.”

Rev. Lawson was one of the most consequential leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. He spent three years in India and studied Gandhi's strategy of nonviolence before returning to the United States to become an instrumental leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Called the "architect of the Civil Rights Movement" by Rep. John Lewis, Lawson trained many civil rights activists, including the Little Rock Nine, and organized campaigns, including the Freedom Riders and the Nashville lunch counter sit-ins.

Rev. Lawson was a founding Member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the southern secretary for the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and an advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Dr. King called Lawson the "leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world." Lawson remained active in civil rights and economic justice campaigns throughout his life, including the fight for a living wage.

Organizations that have officially endorsed the legislation include NAACP, AFSCME, and United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society.

Official text of the Reverend James Lawson Jr. Congressional Gold Medal Act is available here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.