Bernard LaFayette, Selma voting rights organizer, has died

Bernard LaFayette, a civil rights organizer whose work in Selma helped pave the way for the Voting Rights Act of 1965, died at 85 of a heart attack, his son said.

Bernard LaFayette, a civil rights organizer who helped lay the groundwork for the Selma voter registration drive that contributed to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, has died. His son, Bernard LaFayette III, said he died Thursday morning of a heart attack at age 85. LaFayette was an early member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and moved to Selma in 1963 as director of the Alabama Voter Registration Campaign. He later worked with Martin Luther King Jr., served as national coordinator for the Poor People's Campaign, and carried out nonviolence training and community work in the United States and abroad. Key facts: - Bernard LaFayette died Thursday of a heart attack at age 85, according to his son, Bernard LaFayette III. - He directed the Alabama Voter Registration Campaign beginning in 1963 and helped build local leadership in Selma. - LaFayette was an original SNCC member and participated in Freedom Rides and desegregation efforts. - He worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr., coordinated the Poor People's Campaign, and later held academic and organizational posts including a doctorate from Harvard. - LaFayette continued nonviolence training and public-service work in Chicago and internationally. Summary: LaFayette's organizing in Selma and his later work with civil rights leaders helped create momentum that contributed to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and influenced community initiatives in other cities. His death was announced by his son and reported as due to a heart attack. Undetermined at this time.