From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)

Lawson was born in Louisville, KY. He graduated from Shawnee High School in Oklahoma, went on to graduate from Oklahoma State University, and played for the Washington Redskins. The Shawnee High School Football Field was names in his honor.

Lawson became a well-respected entrepreneur. He was featured in Black Enterprise Magazine in the 1980s for having the 9th largest African-American owned business in the U.S.

After leaving his position as marketing sales manager at Gulf Oil Co., Lawson was appointed assistant transit administrator for the city of Houston by Houston, Texas Mayor Fred Hofheinz. He left that post to become the first marketing manager for the Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority. Lawson was later founder and president of Marketing and Sales Unlimited, Inc. and Lawson National Distributing Co. of Houston, Texas. He was also a noted football player at Oklahoma State University.

For more see Profiles of Contemporary Black Achievers of Kentucky, by J. B. Horton.