Honoring the Outstanding Life of Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr.
(July 29, 1940 – March 5, 2026)

We honor the exemplary and inspirational life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr., fondly known as Doc. He was the first director of the University of Rhode Island’s Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies from 1999 to 2009, where he taught many students at URI and beyond. Since 2009, Dr. LaFayette has served as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar, returning to URI for the International Nonviolence Summer Institute to advance his lifelong commitment to institutionalizing and internationalizing nonviolence, as discussed with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Over the last two decades, he has touched the lives of hundreds of peacebuilders from the U.S. and abroad through the Center’s International Nonviolence Summer Institute. He also traveled extensively to promote peace, nonviolence, and human rights globally, including in the Middle East, Colombia, Mexico, Nigeria, and South Africa. We are very grateful to Dr. Bernard LaFayette and his wife, Kate LaFayette, as we celebrate Doc’s inspiring life of peace, courage, and service. Details to come soon.