Dr. Bernard Lafayette
Dr. Bernard LaFayette, internationally known civil rights activist and close associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be addressing a public forum to be held at the Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverly Avenue, on Thursday, March 31, at 7 p.m. Dr. LaFayette will be discussing the history and current status of race relations in the U.S. The forum is free and open to all.
Among his many accomplishments, Dr. LaFayette played a leading role in organizing the Selma Voting Rights Movement. He was a member of the Nashville Student Movement, and worked closely throughout the 1960s with groups such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the American Friends Service Committee. As an ordained minister and college professor, Dr. LaFayette has traveled the world teaching the Kingian Principles of Nonviolent Conflict Reconciliation, a curriculum that he co-authored based on Dr. King’s beliefs. Dr. LaFayette is recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on nonviolent social change and conflict reconciliation.
During his visit to Watertown Dr. LaFayette will address assemblies of students and faculty at Watertown Middle School and Watertown High School, discussing nonviolent conflict reconciliation. He will also conduct anti-bias training with Watertown police officers and a group of community residents representing diverse racial, cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. His visit will conclude with a discussion among town officials and front line social service providers about Watertown’s future as a safe and welcoming place for all.
Dr. LaFayette’s visit to Watertown has been organized by World in Watertown, the Watertown School Department, and the Watertown Police Department. Financial sponsors for the program include World in Watertown, Watertown Savings Bank, Watertown Public Schools, Watertown Community Foundation, Watertown Police Dept., Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice, and the Environment, First Parish of Watertown, Partnership With America, and Amnesty International (Belmont/Watertown Chapter).
For more information contact Will Twombly (617-926-8130).