I loved being able to hear directly from the leaders of the civil rights movement. The course videos were short enough that I got through the course in two Saturday afternoons. The stories interwove historical events and insights, practical strategies for mobilizing, and inspiring/moving confessions of light in even the darkest times.

Some of my favorite parts included learning about the following:

-Jails were used as active classrooms for university students! They even shared info on college access with a jail ward. Crazy.

-The civil rights leaders honored all people's dignity and believed in their mission beyond what seemed to be in front of their eyes. Who would have thought that the jailed students would sing to jail staff by name, that they'd build a relationship with them, that they'd sing songs of such conviction to uplift their spirits and to warn the system to "be prepared" for the many more who'd soon join their movement.

-Andrew Young's confession about what his wife told him after they read about Dr. Lafayette, essentially "drop everything, we gotta go back home NOW." Their sacrifice and courage, even when they had everything set up for them in the North, are incredible to witness.

-The cross-continental influences! I ddin't know Jim Lawson was a divinity school student, who ended up learning non-violence in India where he lived 3 years as a missionary. The intersection of faith, social justice, calling, cross-cultural sharing/empowering were themes I found unable to shake from my mind days after I finished this course.

-The civil rights movement was fiercely organized and executed. It didn't happen accidently over night, or by fury or whim of young folks alone. Even the young - so many of the leaders were so young!!! - had a very clear strategy to winning against structural racism, and even their sacrifices "dares" so to speak were planned and not foolish. They knew what dangers or threats there may be, but it was always with a clear goal and purpose that they put themselves in the act of civil disobedience.

I will be spending my upcoming months going through the readings, books, and independent research to learn more about the civil rights movements and its leaders. I was not taught any of this in detail in highschool, which I feel that it should!!! This course is timely, and much needed, as it's been disparaging to try to remain engaged and active under Trumplandia. Thank you to those who lived this history. Thank you SO MUCH for translating your experiences into another digestible course, so that less informed folks like me can encounter (albeit late) your bravery, intelligence, and accomplishments which should never be forgotten.

This was a wonderful course that I would suggest to anyone at all. It's so important to know the story and the struggles and bravery of those who non violently fought for equality and did not settle for life as it was for them by uniting with others who were like minding and focusing also on those common goals and not differences that may have been among them. Also learning about the organizing that took place and the elders of the movement leading the way and realizing the importance of education and leading those younger who wanted to participate etc... As an individual, a community, nation, and world there is so much to learn from this course.

This was a great refresher course for me having lived during the Civil Rights Movement but in the northern part of the United States. Dr. Lafayette did a wonderful job in his stories and descriptions to make the Movement struggles and successes real. He and others also shared interesting insider tidbits on those active in the movement. Great class! Thank you for the opportunity to learn and grow in knowledge of those who fought hard so that each of us in this country can eat lunch or ride a bus however we need to in our every day lives.

Absolutely brilliant course. Each lesson is thoroughly enjoyable thanks to the charisma and passion of Bernard Lafayette, as well as eye-opening and educational in an astoundingly refreshing way. This course doesn't just teach a concept, it motivates you to do something with the information and guides students towards an important method in attaining social change. The history and ongoing philosophy and campaign are nothing short of inspirational.

Overall an excellent course that involved a lot of great material on the nonviolent efforts of the Civil Rights Movement. I thought I knew a lot about the Civil Rights Movement but this course proved differently. My only suggestion for improvement is to add a segment that focuses on the contributions of women. Although there was some discussion of women's contributions, most of the material and all of the teachers, professors, speakers were male.

I am 68 years old and remember this era quite vividly. It is very enlightening to hear these events described by those in the thick of things. It gives me better understanding of their thought process, their issues, and the complexity of the issues. This is all applicable today as we see a resurgence in bigotry and violence against those who are different. It is something we must all fight against at all times.

Como o objetivo do curso é associar o movimento dos direitos civis nos anos 1960 com acontecimentos atuais, o dr Bernard LaFayette não só ensina a história e mostra como ela é relevante na sociedade atual, mas também nos motiva a utilizar a filosofia de não-violência no dia a dia, nos incentiva a pensar sobre nossas ações e em como podemos fazer uma diferença. Curso incrível e bem organizado.

A beutiful course- From Freedom Rides to Ferguson: Narratives of Nonviolence in the American Civil Rights Movement.

This is a historical event that keeps updating itself every day. History as it is happening! And we are so very lucky to have the very protagonists of these historical events here, teaching this course at Coursera. People from everywhere in the world can now learn about this.

Simply excellent. Truly an education on history and planning for the future - future generations, that is. This teaching is phenomenal insight that should be shared in every high school and college that seeks societal understanding and growth and desires a turning away from past atrocities and human division. Thank you for sharing!

This class was so well presented and I have recommended it to everyone willing to listen. The experiences, strategy and history shared are inspiring for those that want to better understand our past, but also for those that want to change our future. If you're thinking of taking this course, do not hesitate, sign up now!

This class was excellent. I loved hearing what had to be said and the viewpoints I was given. It was like I was actually there walking among the people. I felt myself protesting and fighting against racism. It was interesting to hear about all the different players in the movement and what they did.

An excellent course, providing an inside view of the Civil Rights movement, bringing History to life, as well as providing a lot of interesting thoughts and guidelines for how to tackle some of today's big social and political conflicts. A big thanks to Dr Lafayette and all other contributors.

It was a pleasure to listen to Dr Lafayette explain not only what happened during the Civil Rights movement but also the background, the outcome and the philosophy of the people involved.

This class has outstanding content and is a great source of reflections on our individual actions.

A brilliant introduction to the principles of non-violence, the philosophy of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, and the lives of those who were the founders of the movement including Dr. Marin Luther King. I've so many new heroes having completed this course. Cheers.

The lectures with Dr. LaFayette were excellent in their coverage of the topic, and they introduced me to many unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. I also really appreciated the interviews with Dr. CT Vivian and Ambassador Andrew Young--I highly recommend taking this course.

Dr. Bernard LaFayette is an excellent storyteller and he recalls many of the events of the Civil Rights movement with great passion and reflection. All of the guest speakers and interviewers were excellent. There is a lot of important American History in this course.

Exceptional information and lessons to better understand what was the struggle for Civil Rights. The teachings of Dr. LaFayette invite to take the brief experience as a case study, worthy of being analyzed and considered when comparing it to other social movements.

Thoroughly enjoyed this course, particularly the breakdowns about nonviolence as a way of life/philosophy. The bonus interview with Rev. Vivian was amazing as well! A must-take class for the sheer volume of oral history you get from Dr. Lafayette.

Fascinating course featuring living civil rights activists. Focusing on the thoughts of those involved in the nonviolent approach of activists, it brought more depth to me on how this attitude to the civil rights struggle was successful.

This course provided valuable oral histories of the Civil Rights movement in America. My sincere gratitude to all those who put together this course, and of course to those who participated in advancing the cause of Civil Rights!

Done this course as a beginning to a new Shabbat practice really enjoyed it learned so much.As a Millenial and one who has dealt with domestic violence it helped me realize how nonviolent action can change a lot of things.

I'm learning so much, and it's a wonderful format. We're going to need to know these principles of Nonviolence if we're to deal effectively with the regenerative changes needed. I'm so glad i heard about this course!

Fascinating. I recommend this course for anyone who wants an in-depth understanding of the role of non-violence in the success of the Civil Rights movement, and its relevance to the world of race relations today.

I have learnt so much and will be applying this to the change action empowerment in the UK. I appreciate this opportunity to learn at my own pace and appreciate the work undertaken in the past.

Among the very best courses led by the participants in the struggle for civil rights. Helped me to gain a better understanding of what has been gained (and lost) in our nation's story.