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A resolution to honor the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr.
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WHEREAS, Nashville lost a civil rights pioneer, a defender of justice, and an embodiment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s concept of Beloved Community in the passing of Rev. Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr. on March 5, 2026; and
WHEREAS, Dr. LaFayette, born in Tampa, Florida, moved to Nashville for seminary school at the American Baptist Theological School, in 1960. Dr. Lafayette studied nonviolence at the Highlander Folk School and attended seminars taught by the Reverend James Lawson. Dr. Lafayette was deeply moved by the philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance; and
WHEREAS, as a young seminary student in Nashville in 1960, Dr. Bernard Lafayette joined fellow activists John Lewis, Diane Nash, James Bevel, and others in organizing the historic Nashville sit-in movement, a disciplined campaign of nonviolent protest that challenged segregation at lunch counters and public accommodations and ultimately led to the desegregation of Nashville's downtown commercial district; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Lafayette, a participant in the Nashville Student Movement, joined student leaders from across the South to found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (“SNCC”), the organization grew to be one of the most influential forces of the Civil Rights Movement and challenged segregation through strategic non-violent campaigns throughout the South; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Lafayette continued to challenge injustice through his time as a Freedom Rider in 1961. Through the Freedom Rides, Dr. Lafayette and other activists challenged segregation of interstate transportation, despite federal court rulings declaring segregation unlawful. During the Freedom Rides, activists remained steadfast in the face of brutal violence from white mobs determined to preserve segregation; and
WHEREAS, as a result of his participation in the Freedom Rides, Dr. Lafayette was arrested in Jackson, Mississippi and imprisoned alongside other activists; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Lafayette became the director of the Alabama Voter Registration Project of SNCC. Alongside his wife and fellow civil rights activist Colia Liddell Lafayette, Dr. Lafayette moved to Selma, Alabama, where the couple organized citizens to challenge the denial of voting rights to Black Americans; and
WHEREAS, organizing efforts by the Lafayettes’ in Selma culminated in the march from Selma to Montgomery, initiated by activist James Bevel, and was a major factor leading to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. worked closely with Dr. LaFayette in advancing the cause of civil rights and economic justice, by collaborating on the Poor People’s Campaign, a coordinated effort to fight poverty for people of all races; and
WHEREAS, throughout his life, Dr. Lafayette remained dedicated to principles of nonviolent resistance despite surviving multiple attacks, repeated arrests, and constant threats to his safety; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Lafayette remained devoted to nonviolent resistance beyond the Civil Rights Movement and continued to teach and preach his philosophy of nonviolence across the United States and abroad; and
WHEREAS, Dr. LaFayette is survived by his wife, Kate Bulls LaFayette; his son, Rev. Bernard LaFayette, III; and his siblings Rozelia Kennedy, Brenda Austin, Geri Coverson, Michael LaFayette, and Victoria Harris and is preceded in death by his son James LaFayette, Sr.; and
WHEREAS, the legacy of Dr. LaFayette lives on through his family and through those who continue to enact his teachings of nonviolence, perseverance, conviction, and an unshakable commitment to justice.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. That the Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record to honor the life and legacy of Reverend Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr. and recognize his steadfast commitment to nonviolent resistance and his lasting contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
Section 2. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of the Metropolitan Government requiring it.