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. 6, 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, laying the groundwork for the historic Selma to Montgomery marches and the passage of the Voting Rights Act. His commitment to nonviolent resistance and his ability to inspire and organize local communities made him a key figure in the struggle for voting rights and racial equality.

The details

In 1963, LaFayette moved to Selma and, with his former wife Colia Liddell, gradually built the leadership capacity of the local people, convincing them that change was possible. He faced many dangers, including an assassination attempt on the same night Medgar Evers was murdered in Mississippi. Despite these threats, LaFayette remained committed to nonviolent resistance, looking his attacker in the eyes and refusing to fight back.

  • In 1960, LaFayette helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).
  • 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 1968, LaFayette was the national coordinator of the King's Poor People's Campaign and was with Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorraine Motel on the morning of his assassination.

The players

Bernard LaFayette

A civil rights activist who played a key role in the Selma voting rights campaign and the broader civil rights movement, including as a founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and a leader in the Chicago Freedom Movement and the Poor People's Campaign.

John Lewis

A future congressman who was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, an event that shocked the nation and helped push Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act.

Colia Liddell

LaFayette's former wife, who worked with him in Selma to build the leadership capacity of the local people.

Martin Luther King Jr.

The civil rights leader whose assassination in 1968 LaFayette witnessed, and whose vision for institutionalizing and internationalizing the nonviolence movement LaFayette sought to carry on.

Andrew Young

A civil rights leader who worked alongside LaFayette in the Chicago Freedom Movement and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

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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 (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 life and work will continue to be celebrated and studied as a crucial part of the civil rights movement's history. His commitment to nonviolent resistance and his ability to inspire and organize local communities will continue to inspire future generations of activists and leaders.

The takeaway

Bernard LaFayette's quiet but pivotal role in the Selma voting rights campaign and the broader civil rights movement exemplifies the power of grassroots organizing, nonviolent resistance, and the ability of individuals to make a profound impact on the course of history, even when their contributions are not always recognized in the spotlight.