In his new memoir Dancing with History: A Life for Peace and Justice, Quaker activist George Lakey circles back over seven decades, telling stories from the center of many history-making events — from his first arrest in the Civil Rights era to recent marches for climate justice, with actions for LGBTQ rights and labor justice in between.
Recently retired from Swarthmore College, Lakey was the Eugene Lang Visiting Professor for Issues of Social Change. In 2018, Lakey published How We Win: A Guide to Nonviolent Direct Action Campaigning.
Responses to Dancing with History: A Life for Peace and Justice . . .
"George Lakey stands out for the sheer range of his contributions to peace and justice. His upbeat, soul-driven spirit underlies it all, as you’ll catch in this revealing memoir."
—Daniel Ellsberg, peace activist and author.
"Almost no one I can think of has made better use of their time on earth—and George Lakey just keeps going. This book is equal parts illuminating and inspiring!"
—Bill McKibben, leader of climate group 350.org
“George Lakey is a national treasure, whom I met when I was 22. Dancing with George was a blast. His unstoppable, thoughtful, contagious approach to democratic action has inspired my life’s work. It’s a story Americans need now more than ever.”
—Frances Moore Lappé, author, Diet for a Small Planet
“Dancing with History packs a powerful, honest, and deeply personal account of George Lakey’s remarkable life and legacy of family building and movement building, honoring identity and liberation for all, ‘raising the temperature’ on what it means to live a life of social action and bearing witness. This book is a stunning testimonial, like walking through a historical landscape of a life of turning courageously to meet what’s next.”
—Valerie Brown, writer, Buddhist-Quaker Dharma teacher
“George Lakey shows us how to ignite positive change in the face of adversity. He weaves in passion, creativity, faith, and even humor. An inspiring read for our
moment.”
—Dave Bleakney, Canadian Union of Postal Workers