Expelled : James Lawson Jr. and Vanderbilt University /
"In February 1960, as lunch counter sit ins began in southern cities, national attention focused on Nashville, where demonstrations were carried out by an unusually organized and disciplined group of students tutored extensively in nonviolent direct action. Their mentor was Reverend James Lawso...
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
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Nashville, Tennessee :
Vanderbilt University Press,
[2026]
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| Summary: | "In February 1960, as lunch counter sit ins began in southern cities, national attention focused on Nashville, where demonstrations were carried out by an unusually organized and disciplined group of students tutored extensively in nonviolent direct action. Their mentor was Reverend James Lawson, a graduate student at Vanderbilt University Divinity School with longstanding nonviolent credentials. His workshops with Nashville students, exploring Gandhian style philosophies and tactics, had predated the famed Greensboro sit ins. As demonstrations continued in Nashville, and after the worst of four successive sit ins saw violence erupt downtown, local activists demanded an audience with Mayor Ben West. At this meeting, an exchange occurred that was misconstrued by subsequent newspaper reportage. Shortly thereafter, Lawson was summarily expelled from Vanderbilt, one semester shy of graduating. His ouster triggered a wave of repercussions and headlines. After extended negotiations with their superiors were rebuffed, a large contingent of Divinity School faculty resigned en masse. Simmering dissension between faculty members, Vanderbilt's Board of Trust, and Vanderbilt administrators kept the crisis ongoing. Sustained criticism of Vanderbilt both within the city and nationally made for a turbulent situation as Lawson became a cause to celebrate for the civil rights movement as well as in wider religious and academic communities"-- Provided by publisher. |
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| Physical Description: | 113 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |
| ISBN: | 9780826500120 0826500129 |