[MUSIC] Welcome back. Today we're talking again with Dr. Bernard Lafayette. Throughout the course we will be meeting with different guests and visiting different historical sites throughout the Southeast. Today we're at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia. My name is Pellom McDaniels and I am the Curator of African American Collections at Emory University. Today's topic is organizing groups. Welcome back Dr. Lafayette. >> Thank you. >> So the first question I have for you is how does attention to the work of organizing groups redefine our understanding of the modern Civil Rights Movement? >> Well, one of the things that we must keep in mind is that the techniques and strategies and all of the orchestration that we did, in the early part of the 60s, and middle part in terms of the different movements that we're involved in are actually not simply given to that particular time in history. These were universal. In fact, they are applicable today and they were applicable before 1960. In fact, we learned from those who had conducted movements before we got started like Mahatma Gandhi. And so we really look at those techniques and methods. Some people feel that, well, they work back in the 60s but they won't work now. Well, they're not really relegated to in a particular time in history. They're universal and they can be also implemented and the approach can be used not only in the U.S. if for any period of time, but also in other countries because they are based on human values. They're based on the Eccentricities that beyond the particular geographical location that when we talk about people having compassion for example, that's not relegated to an ethnic group. >> Right. >> Or it's not relegated to people who live in a certain part of the world. Or even a age for that matter. Or their status in society, whether they are rulers or whether they are being ruled or whether they are rude or come out of the roots. So therefor, when people learn these strategies and techniques and apply them, they work. Now some people, like for example, when I was in Israel once and we were visiting Bethlehem, and there was a family there in Bethlehem who owned a hotel. And one of the relatives was from New York and was part of our visiting team. And the cousin was on the city council, this woman. And while we were there having dinner at the restaurant at the hotel the guest, from New York, a relative came and said, Dr. Lafayette, would you mind talking to my cousin here. She doesn't think that nonviolence will work. And I was actually trying to get my food. >> [LAUGH] Right, that's right. >> So I wasn't quite ready to have a discussion or a seminar. So I said I agree with your cousin, nonviolence doesn't work. And she gasped for breath and looked at me and stretched her eyes. And I said, no nonviolence doesn't work unless you learn how to work it. You can have an airplane but if you don't have a pilot to fly that plane, okay? So the quality of the training that your pilot will get would determine the quality of your trip in the plane. So it's nonviolence has to be worked. It won't work by itself. >> It's not something you can just, open up in a can, and everything. >> Exactly. So we look at today's problems and issues. And I am absolutely convinced because over the past 50 years that I have applied these principles and this training and it has made a tremendous difference. And that's why I have confidence and faith that things can change because we continuously training leaders in the non-violent methods.