Rep. Sewell Statement on the Passing of Bernard LaFayette, Civil Rights Activist and Nonviolence Advocate

This press release from Representative Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) was published on 2026-04-29 and titled "Rep. Sewell Statement on the Passing of Bernard LaFayette, Civil Rights Activist and Nonviolence Advocate". It focuses on crime and justice and touches on civil rights.

Rep. Sewell Statement on the Passing of Bernard LaFayette, Civil Rights Activist and Nonviolence Advocate

Washington D.C. - Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) released the following statement on the passing of Bernard LaFayette, civil rights activist and nonviolence advocate: "I am deeply saddened by the passing of Bernard LaFayette, a giant of the Civil Rights Movement and lifelong champion of justice, equality, and nonviolence. "As a Freedom Rider, co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and trusted lieutenant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Bernard LaFayette's courage and steadfast commitment to nonviolent social change helped move America closer to its founding promise of liberty and justice for all. "Through his ministry, scholarship, and leadership, Bernard LaFayette worked to ensure that the principles of justice and peaceful resistance would endure for generations to come. "My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Kate, as well as his family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched. May we honor his extraordinary legacy by recommitting ourselves to the work of building that Beloved Community. "May he Rest in Peace and Power." ###