[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 18, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H2554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING BERNARD LAFAYETTE

  (Ms. Sewell of Alabama was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Ms. SEWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of the extraordinary life 
and legacy of Bernard LaFayette, who passed away on March 5, 2026, at 
the age of 85. He was a giant of the civil rights movement and a 
lifelong champion of justice, equality, and nonviolence.
  Bernard LaFayette was an extraordinary man who had extraordinary 
talents and extraordinary courage. As a Freedom Rider and a cofounder 
of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, otherwise known as 
SNCC, Bernard placed himself on the front line of the struggle for 
civil rights, risking life and limb to challenge injustice and 
dismantle segregation across the South.
  As a trusted lieutenant of Dr. Martin Luther King, he helped to 
advocate a philosophy of nonviolent social change that moved our Nation 
closer to its founding promise of liberty and justice for all.
  His liberation was one of selflessness. His leadership was 
instrumental during the most pivotal moments of the civil rights 
movement, especially in my hometown of Selma, where his organizing 
efforts helped secure the right to vote for countless Black Americans.
  Yet, what set Bernard LaFayette apart was not only his bravery in 
those defining moments but his lifelong commitment to ensuring the 
principles of nonviolence would endure forever.
  Through his ministry, his scholarship, and his teaching, Bernard 
LaFayette dedicated himself to training new generations in the 
principles and the discipline of peaceful resistance.
  He believed deeply in what Dr. King called the Beloved Community, a 
Nation and a world rooted in justice, in reconciliation, and love. He 
worked every day of his life to make that vision a reality.
  On a personal note, as a proud daughter of Selma, I am forever 
grateful for the sacrifices made by Bernard LaFayette in the name of 
justice and equality. I know that I get to walk the Halls of Congress 
as Alabama's first Black Congresswoman because of the resilience, the 
courage, and determination of people like Bernard.
  My thoughts and prayers are with his beloved wife, Kate, as well as 
his family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched.
  On behalf of Alabama's Seventh Congressional District, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in honoring the extraordinary life and legacy of 
a civil rights icon and a nonviolent advocate, Bernard LaFayette. May 
he rest in power and in peace.

                          ____________________