About Lipscomb
Director: Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies
Bernard LaFayette, Jr., Ed.D
doc@uri.edu | 401.874.2875
Biography
Bernard LaFayette, Jr. has been a Civil Rights Movement activist, minister, educator, lecturer, and is an authority on the strategy on nonviolent social change. He co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in 1960. He was a leader of the Nashville Movement, 1960 and on the Freedom Rides, 1961 and the 1965 Selma Movement. He directed the Alabama Voter Registration Project in 1962, and he was appointed National Program Administrator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and National Coordinator of the 1968 Poor Peoples’ Campaign by Martin Luther King, Jr. In addition, Dr. LaFayette has served as Director of Peace and Justice in Latin America; Chairperson of the Consortium on Peace Research, Education and Development; Director of the PUSH Excel Institute; and minister of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Tuskegee, Alabama.
An ordained minister, Dr. LaFayette earned his B.A. from the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville, Tennessee, and his Ed.M. and Ed.D from Harvard University. He has served on the faculties of Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta and Alabama State University in Montgomery, where he was Dean of the Graduate School; he also was principal of Tuskegee Institute High School in Tuskegee, Alabama and a teaching fellow at Harvard University.
His publications include the Curriculum and Training Manual for the Martin Luther King, Jr., Nonviolent Community Leadership Training Program, his doctoral thesis, Pedagogy for Peace and Nonviolence, and Campus Ministries and Social Change in the ‘60’s (Duke Divinity Review) and The Leaders Manual: A Structured Guide and Introduction to Kingian Nonviolence with David Jehnsen. Bernard LaFayette has traveled extensively to many countries as a lecturer and consultant on peace and nonviolence.
Dr. LaFayette is a former President of the American Baptist College of ABT Seminary in Nashville, Tennessee; Scholar in Residence at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia; and Pastor emeritus of the Progressive Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee.
He is the Founder and National President of God-Parents Clubs, Inc., a national community based program aimed at preventing the systematic incarceration of young Black youth; a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and founder of the Association For Kingian Nonviolence, Education and Training Works.
Dr. LaFayette is currently a Distinguished-Scholar-in-Residence and Director of the Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies at the University of Rhode Island. He is the chairperson for the International Nonviolence Executive Planning Board. He has been re-appointed by Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri as the chairman for the Rhode Island Select Commission on Race and Police-Community Relations. A native of Tampa, Florida, Dr. LaFayette is married to the former Kate Bulls.
Darwin Levi Mason, Sr.
Darwin L. Mason, Sr. will be speaking in our first fall Kappa Iota Theta chapel on Thursday, September 30 at 10:55 in Swang 108. Darwin is married to Norma Mason and they are parents to Dominique and Darwin Jr. Darwin is the Youth Minister at Schrader Lane church of Christ, a service he has rendered for the past fourteen years. Additionally, Darwin serves in the Worship Ministry and teaches the “Where’s the Music” class, and the “Married For a Lifetime” series. Darwin has been employed by Metro Nashville Public Schools for twenty years. He has been an administrator for twelve years serving five schools elementary through adult high school. He is currently the principal of Cohn High School where he has been for the past four years.
Darwin has degrees from Michigan Christian (now Rochester Christian) College, Oklahoma Christian University, Chicago State University, and Tennessee State University. He is presently working on a doctoral degree at Vanderbilt University in Leadership, Policy, and Organization. He is Design Team leader for PLAN (Principal’s Leadership Academy of Nashville). Mr. Mason serves on several boards. He is a member of CCSI (Christian Community Services Inc.); an operating board member of Alignment Nashville with whom he serves on two committees; the executive secretary of STARS (Students Taking a Right Stand); and an ex-offcio board member of LKMSO (the Levi Kennedy Memorial Scholarship Org.).
Darwin is the Senior Director of the Nashville Youth Chorus, and the Director of the Schrader Lane Adult Chorus. He also works with the National Crusades for Christ as the leading song leader and choral director. Darwin is sought after around the country to participate in revivals and inspirational campaigns. He also is called on to perform congregational singing, choral music, and youth workshops. Additionally, he conducts workshops on leadership development. He is the spiritual advisor to NU Image, a contemporary gospel quintet. Darwin’s passions are traveling with his family, music, reading, and young people.