Bernard Lafayette Jr., 85, dies; civil rights leader who helped plan Selma march

Bernard Lafayette Jr., a civil rights organizer who helped plan the Selma-to-Montgomery march and coordinated the 1968 Poor People's Campaign, died at 85 in Tuskegee, Ala., his son said the cause was a heart attack.

Bernard Lafayette Jr. died on Thursday at his home in Tuskegee, Ala., at age 85, and his son said the cause was a heart attack. He was an organizer in the 1960s who worked alongside figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis. He helped plan the Selma-to-Montgomery march for voting rights and coordinated the 1968 Poor People's Campaign. Later in life he taught, led seminars on nonviolence, and served in educational leadership. Key facts: - He died at his home in Tuskegee, Alabama, and his son reported the cause as a heart attack. - He was involved in desegregation efforts in Nashville and helped plan the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery march. - He coordinated the 1968 Poor People's Campaign and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. on organizing efforts. - He later earned advanced degrees, led a seminary, and taught and lectured on nonviolence. Summary: His organizing work was part of major campaigns for voting rights and economic justice in the 1960s and he continued to promote nonviolent training and education in later decades. Undetermined at this time.