Celebrating the Legacy of the Rev. Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr.

After Dr. King's assassination, Lafayette made it his mission to ensure the philosophy and methodology of nonviolence would not die. He devoted himself to institutionalizing, internationalizing, and demystifying Kingian nonviolence, working with the King Center to build a curriculum and structure that turned the philosophy into a teachable practice. This involved training leaders and communities worldwide, proving nonviolence is a transformative power.

Dr. Bernice King states, 'He made it his mission to ensure that the philosophy and methodology of nonviolence could not die on April 4th, 1968. He devoted himself completely to institutionalizing, and internationalizing, and demystifying what we call Kingian nonviolence.'

Lafayette's teachings were rooted in Dr. King's six principles, which include: 1. Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people. 2. The Beloved Community is the framework for the future. 3. Attack forces of evil, not persons doing evil. 4. Accept suffering without retaliation for the sake of the cause. 5. Avoid internal and external violence of the spirit. 6. The arc of the moral universe is long and bends toward justice. These principles guided his training and actions.

Chadra Agiga from Nigeria and other trainers elaborate on each of the six principles, citing Lafayette's interpretations and examples.

Lafayette's nonviolence training had a profound impact on resolving extreme violence in Nigeria's Niger Delta. After years of militant activity, oil production slump, and government resistance, local youth leaders were trained in nonviolence. This led to a shift from armed struggle to organized engagement, resulting in improved community conditions, electricity, water, scholarships, and legislative changes like the Petroleum Industry Act.

A Nigerian speaker details how Lafayette's training transformed over 30,000 ex-militants, leading to them dropping arms and embracing peace. Chadra Agiga further explains how their communities now have 'high waters, electricity, and scholarship from government' due to applying these principles.

Lafayette taught that true change and justice come not just from ideas or strategies, but from conviction in one's heart. He exemplified this by being 'prepared to die for what we believed,' demonstrating that deep-seated belief fuels the courage to endure abuse and push for change.

Bryan Stevenson recounts Lafayette telling him, 'Brian, we were prepared to die for what we believed.' Stevenson emphasizes, 'Change comes, justice comes, where the ideas in our mind are fueled by conviction in our heart.'

Lafayette clarified that accepting suffering for the cause does not mean passive acceptance of abuse. Instead, it requires a purposeful response consistent with the goals of change. He demonstrated this by wearing a bloody shirt for several days after an assassination attempt, making a powerful statement to both opponents and the community.

Richard, a trainer, explains Lafayette's interpretation of principle four: 'It doesn't mean accepting abuse and punishment with no response, in fact it requires a response, but that response has to be consistent with the goals we seek.' He cites Lafayette wearing his bloody shirt after an attack.