[en] The radiative lifetimes of 72 odd-parity levels of neutral lanthanum are measured to ±5% accuracy using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence on a slow atomic beam. The levels range in energy from 15031 to 32140 cm"−"1. Branching fraction measurements using Fourier-transform spectroscopy are attempted and completed for all of the 72 levels. The branching fractions, when combined with the radiative lifetimes, yield new transition probabilities for 315 lines of the first spectrum of lanthanum (La i ). This study is part of a larger body of work on the radiative properties of rare earth neutral atoms, and is motivated by research needs in lighting science and astrophysics. (paper)