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, the advance man who did the risky groundwork for the voter registration campaign in Selma, Alabama, that culminated in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, has died at the age of 85. LaFayette was one of the founders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and played a crucial role in building the leadership capacity of the local people in Selma, convincing them that change was possible and creating momentum that could not be stopped.

Why it matters

LaFayette's work in Selma was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, helping to secure the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had been used to disenfranchise African American voters in the South. His legacy as a civil rights pioneer and advocate for nonviolent social change continues to inspire and influence activists and organizers today.

The details

Despite initial hesitation from SNCC about working in Selma, LaFayette insisted on trying anyway. As the director of the Alabama Voter Registration Campaign in 1963, he moved to the town and, with his former wife Colia Liddell, gradually built the leadership capacity of the local people, convincing them change was possible. LaFayette faced many dangers, including an assassination attempt on the same night Medgar Evers was murdered in Mississippi, but he remained committed to nonviolent resistance.

  • 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 voting rights marchers on Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge led the evening news, shocking the nation's conscience and pushing Congress to act.
  • In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson introduced the Voting Rights Act to Congress, which was a victory for the Selma campaign that LaFayette had helped organize.
  • LaFayette died on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the age of 85.

The players

Bernard LaFayette

A civil rights activist who was a key figure in the Selma voting rights campaign that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He was one of the founders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and played a crucial role in building the leadership capacity of the local people in Selma.

John Lewis

A future congressman who was beaten by state troopers on Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 7, 1965, an event that shocked the nation's conscience and pushed Congress to act.

Colia Liddell

LaFayette's former wife, who worked with him in Selma to build the leadership capacity of the local people and convince them that change was possible.

Lyndon Johnson

The President of the United States who introduced the Voting Rights Act to Congress in 1965 in response to the events in Selma.

Medgar Evers

A civil rights activist who was murdered in Mississippi, an event that was part of a conspiracy to kill civil rights workers that also targeted LaFayette.

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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 President of the United States (wral.com)

“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 (wral.com)

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

— Andrew Young (wral.com)

What’s next

The legacy of Bernard LaFayette's work in the civil rights movement continues to inspire and influence activists and organizers around the world. His commitment to nonviolent social change and his role in the Selma voting rights campaign that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 will ensure that his name and his impact remain an important part of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality.

The takeaway

Bernard LaFayette's life and work exemplify the power of quiet, behind-the-scenes organizing and the transformative impact that individuals can have when they dedicate themselves to the pursuit of justice and human dignity. His legacy as a civil rights pioneer and advocate for nonviolent social change continues to inspire new generations of activists and organizers working to build a more equitable and inclusive society.