Dr. Bernard Lafayette

FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Chairman’s Corner

The Chairman’s Corner: Dr. Bernard Lafayette Day in Selma

Written by: Maynard Eaton Managing Editor

A Selma, Alabama street had already been named in his honor, but shortly thereafter on May 14th officials there also wanted to salute SCLC Chairman Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr. for his historic contributions as the architect of the legendary Selma to Montgomery Movement. Following the ceremonies, we talked about it briefly in an interview that follows.

Maynard Eaton: What was your reaction to this event? What did it mean to you? Dr. Bernard Lafayette: “It was somewhat of a surprise. I was totally engulfed in trying to think about such a great honor. And these are the people who live in Selma, grew up there and I knew them when they were just young children. To hear them talk about I had such an impact on their lives, and they felt that I made a difference. Some of them were elected officials. The mayor was 13 years old when (the Selma Movement) happened, and he is there looking at me and telling me I made them who they are. So, to have such an impact on persons who grew up during that period and were involved in the Selma Movement, it really made me feel a sense of worthwhileness. “All of these years – we are talking about back in the ‘60’s now – I did not get any special recognition because my mission was to evolve leadership that would make a difference and make changes that would were necessary; and teach people how to do that so everybody would be better off. We were not just trying to help Black folk. We wanted everybody to be able to change and not allow the racism that existed to make their lives miserable.

“I had to think and wonder why in the course of that Movement that there were not any Black

people killed in Selma, Alabama. I was trying to train them about to bring about changes with the least amount of violence. Now, there was violence, no question about it, I think we were just fortunate people were not killed. I was targeted for assassination at one point and managed to survive that on the same night Medgar Evers was killed in Jackson, Mississippi. The FBI told me it was a tri-state conspiracy. “Other than that people behaved in a nonviolent way and it helped to bring about nonviolent change. It turned out to not just be a local Movement in Selma, but it leaped into a national Movement that helped to bring about the Voter Rights Bill. ME: What do you think this Selma salute says to you and about you? BL: I was very much surprised that people were aware of what I did. There were a lot of people involved in the Selma Movement, but I was surprised that people recognized what I did and the way I did it. Basically, what I was doing was training leadership and that’s what we saw. There was very powerful leadership that came out of that. What now in the aftermath of Selma’s show of appreciation? What are your feelings now? BL: I appreciate it. It is something that is important to them to appreciate where they got their got their training and where they learned their skills. Remember it was just not skills of learning how to go register to vote, but how to make decisions and run their communities and participate in government. And, not just in Selma. These are elected officials for the entire state, and the United States. They understood the value that they received, but they are the ones who put it to work. They are the ones that went forth with the change that took place. ME: But the cradle, the birth, the embryo of the Selma Movement was under your leadership was it not?

BL: Yes, that’s true. I will admit it. And I appreciate that they wanted to say thank you.

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