PRESIDENT’S CORNER

Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr.: A Friend of the Civil Rights Movement, and a Friend of Mine.

By Dr. Charles Steele Jr., SCLC National President & CEO

When asked to write about my friend, colleague, and Chairman of the Board of SCLC, I knew I was given a special opportunity to share with the world my friendship with Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr. The Bible says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friend’s – John 15: 12-13. This Bible verse speaks volumes to me when thinking about Dr. LaFayette. It speaks to the person he is, what he means to the civil rights movement and what the movement means to him.

Dr. LaFayette became active in the civil rights movement in the 1960’s. He worked alongside great leaders such as our beloved co-founder Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He is known for his work in organizations such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). I would say the most paramount thoughts that come to mind about my friend is his unselfish way of living. Dr. LaFayette worked in civil rights when it was a fameless, unpopular, and dangerous time. He put his life on the line every single day that he protested, stood up against racism and hatred, spoke out and marched. Dr. LaFayette showed his courage, strength, and love of his brethren every time he volunteered during the movement not knowing if he would live to see another day. His mission was simple, he wanted to help ensure a better tomorrow for all God’s children

In May 1961, Dr. LaFayette volunteered as a Freedom Rider. The Freedom Riders were a group of Black and white volunteers that gave of their time to ride together in the segregated South. Again, Dr. LaFayette understood that he was putting his life in jeopardy, but he did so to help bring change in the South. Once arriving in Montgomery, Alabama, Dr. LaFayette and his fellow riders were not surprised when they were met by members of Ku Klux Klan, and were savagely attacked.

The Freedom Riders were called names, taunted, and beaten. Dr. LaFayette stood strong and was nearly killed. He has been arrested and beaten during his time in the civil rights movement and as a soldier fighting for justice.

I first met Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr. 35 years ago at Mount Olive Baptist church in Anniston, Alabama where our friend Rev. John Nettles was the pastor at that time. I remember meeting Dr. LaFayette and thinking what an honor it was to meet such a selfless person in the movement whom I had heard many stories about. Sometimes you meet people and their reputations proceeds them, but the meeting of that person does not match the stories. However, this was not the case for Dr. LaFayette, he was and still is one of the humblest people you will ever meet. After meeting him we became good friends with similar synergy. With the trust of Dr. LaFayette as a leader it encourages me to continuously fight for the existence of an organization such as SCLC that has helped bring about many of our freedoms we enjoy today. Because of his support and leadership, I became the only SCLC president to serve twice as president and CEO. It is an honor to work with and recognize the impact and influence that he has on many nations as we travel the world with his teachings of the Kingian philosophy on conflict reconciliations. Dr. LaFayette’s teachings continues to transform the world and bring people together under the helm of SCLC.

Most recently, he was recognized with a street named after him because of his bravery and insight in Selma, Alabama in 1963. He organized with other local leaders and lived in Selma for two years in order to bring about the infrastructure of the voter registration movement that led to the 1965 Voter’s Right Act. This well-deserved recognition is a testament to his bravery and unselfish commitment to bringing about change wherever injustice exist.

Dr. LaFayette is the epitome of Dr. King’s words when he said, “We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always right to do right.” Dr. LaFayette constantly reminds me on a regular basis when SCLC is fighting for justice and equality that we are making history for people to stand and move forward into the future with sustainability. He is and will always be a friend to the civil rights movement and a friend of mine.

From The First Lady

A Hero for Humanity

By Mrs. Cathelean Steele, Founder, Justice for Girls

I met Mamie Till Mobley in 1993 when she traveled to Tuscaloosa Alabama to visit my husband and myself. This first visit cemented our friendship. Mrs. Mobley spoke to my history classes and detailed the death of her son, Emmett Till. My students were in shock to learn that a young boy could be so brutally murdered.

Mamie shared with my husband and I many small but important details about Emmett. When I learned that there would be a movie depicting his death, I decided to share some of those details in this article.

Emmett was born with a speech problem which made him stutter when he tried to pronounce words. In her words “Emmett when you try to pronounce a word and can’t, stop and whistle.” Mamie believed for years that Emmett had taken the advice that he had been taught and whistled when he was telling Carolyn Bryant that he wanted to buy some bubble gum.

Mamie shared with us that she cried when Emmett left for Money Mississippi because she knew the danger if you disobeyed the customs set for Blacks in the South. Her worst nightmare happened on that Wednesday when her Uncle Mose, who was a minister, took the boys to church. Mamie shared with us that the boys slipped out of church and went to the store to buy candy.

The story of what happened changed depending on who was telling it. Mamie’s belief was that after Emmett purchased the gum, one of the boys asked him what did you buy and when he could not get the words out, he whistled just as he had been taught.

What happened after that haunted Mamie. She shared with us a quote that appeared in the August 1995 issue of Emerge magazine. “I have pictured Emmett being in that barn and those people relentlessly beating him. I just wonder how long did he suffer? I hope in my heart that it wasn’t long. Yet, I heard Willie Reed testify Emmett was in the barn from daybreak until up in the day, maybe 1

O’clock. He said they beat Emmett until finally they didn’t hear more sounds coming from him.”

One afternoon while Mamie was visiting us in Tuscaloosa she shared another story that still haunts me to this day. Maurice Wright, the oldest of the cousins, told her on his death bed that “Bo just won’t let me alone.” Mamie learned that Maurice Wright was given 50 cents to tell Roy Bryant that Emmett told his wife she was a good-looking woman.

Mamie believed that jealousy played a role in Emmett’s death. I miss you my friend and I will continue to share your role in the civil rights movement. The courage to share with the world what happened to Emmett opened eyes around the world.