Bernard LaFayette, Selma Voting Rights Organizer, Dies at 85

LaFayette was a key figure in the Selma voting rights campaign that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Bernard LaFayette, a civil rights activist who played a crucial role in the Selma voting rights campaign that culminated in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, has died at the age of 85. LaFayette, who was the advance man for the Selma campaign, faced numerous threats and dangers as he worked to build the leadership capacity of local Black residents and convince them that change was possible.

Why it matters

LaFayette's work in Selma was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, helping to secure voting rights protections that are still relevant today. His life and legacy as a tireless advocate for nonviolent social change serve as an inspiration for continued efforts to protect and expand voting rights and racial justice.

The details

In 1963, LaFayette was named the director of the Alabama Voter Registration Campaign and moved to Selma, where he and his former wife Colia Liddell gradually built up the local leadership and convinced residents that change was possible. This laid the groundwork for the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery marches, which were met with violent crackdowns by state troopers but ultimately led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. LaFayette faced numerous threats, including an assassination attempt on the same night that civil rights leader Medgar Evers was murdered in Mississippi.

  • In 1960, LaFayette helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which organized desegregation and voting rights campaigns across the South.
  • In 1963, LaFayette was named director of the Alabama Voter Registration Campaign and moved to Selma.
  • On March 7, 1965, the beating of future congressman John Lewis and other voting rights marchers on Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act later that year.
  • LaFayette was already working on a new project in Chicago by the time the Selma-to-Montgomery marches came to fruition in 1965, so he missed the 'Bloody Sunday' crackdown.
  • LaFayette died on March 5, 2026 at the age of 85.

The players

Bernard LaFayette

A civil rights activist who played a key role in the Selma voting rights campaign that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

John Lewis

A future congressman who was beaten by state troopers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on March 7, 1965, an event that helped spur the passage of the Voting Rights Act.

Colia Liddell

LaFayette's former wife, who worked with him in Selma to build local leadership and momentum for the voting rights campaign.

Medgar Evers

A civil rights leader who was murdered in Mississippi on the same night as an assassination attempt on LaFayette.

Andrew Young

A civil rights leader who worked alongside LaFayette and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to prepare for Martin Luther King Jr.'s Northern campaign.

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What they’re saying

“Imagine the courage of these two people ... to challenge an entire infrastructure of oppression. Nobody was there to protect them. There were no camera crews to record events.”

— Barack Obama, Former U.S. President (Eulogy for John Lewis)

“Bernard has always worked quietly behind the scenes. He has avoided the spotlight. In some ways, I think he felt like he could do more if he were doing it quietly.”

— Mary Lou Finley, Professor Emeritus, Antioch University Seattle (Associated Press)

“Bernard literally went everywhere he was invited as sort of a global prophet of nonviolence.”

— Andrew Young, Civil Rights Leader (Associated Press)

What’s next

LaFayette's legacy and work in the civil rights movement will continue to be studied and celebrated, as his lifelong commitment to nonviolent social change remains an inspiration for ongoing efforts to protect and expand voting rights and racial justice.

The takeaway

Bernard LaFayette's pivotal role in the Selma voting rights campaign and his tireless advocacy for nonviolent social change throughout his life serve as a powerful testament to the enduring impact that dedicated activists can have in the fight for justice and equality.