The pro-life movement lost a courageous warrior recently with the passing of Reverend Dean Nelson, and Students for Life of America (SFLA) mourns the loss as Rev. Nelson was more than just a partner; he was a true friend — to both the Pro-Life Generation and every vulnerable woman and preborn baby. SFLA President Kristan Hawkins spoke out on her X (formerly known as Twitter) profile, writing simply: “Rev. Dean Nelson was a faithful man, a defender of Life, and a friend and mentor of mine. It was an honor to know Dean. May he rest in peace.” 

We were privileged to work closely beside Rev. Nelson as an ally in the fight for life. As the chairman of the Frederick Douglass Foundation (FDF) and the vice president of government relations at Human Coalition, he worked hand-in-hand with SFLA on many different events and initiatives, forging a firm, personal connection until the end. 

Notably, through his leadership, FDF joined together with SFLA in 2020 for the “Black Preborn Lives Matter” campaign, which called for the defunding of Planned Parenthood due to their violent racism. This led to our activists being wrongfully arrested in Washington D.C. for which Rev. Nelson was present. On the scene, he powerfully stated:

“I cannot believe the D.C. Police will stand in front of a place [Planned Parenthood] where they kill Black children, and you’re taking people to prison, to jail just because they’re putting on a sidewalk ‘Black Preborn Lives Matter.’ This is absurd. This is the city where Frederick Douglas lived. You’ve got to be joking.”

To watch the arrest and hear Rev. Nelson further explain the hypocrisy of the situation, click HERE. FDF consequently filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the District of Columbia with SFLA, and the case is still ongoing. 

Rev. Nelson also participated in SFLA’s 2022 Standing With Her Sunday national event, making a powerful, faith-based argument for protecting and supporting our nation’s most vulnerable. To watch his speech during the simulcast, click HERE. 

He also appeared as a special speaker at the 2023 National Pro-Life Summit earlier this year, talking about men’s roles in the pro-life movement. To listen to his enlightening and inspiring thoughts on this matter (which are the opposite of ‘no uterus, no opinion’), click HERE. 

You can also check out this video which features Rev. Nelson explaining why some people dehumanize preborn babies. He beautifully contrasts Frederick Douglass’ fight for Black Americans’ liberty with the pro-life movement’s struggle in obtaining rights for preborn children. 

While these videos provide snippets of his amazing work and glimpses of the strong man Rev. Nelson was, his legacy is not something we can ever sum up in a matter of words or videos. Instead, he is best remembered by the lives he saved, the hearts he inspired, and the minds he changed. 

The Pro-Life Generation sends our thoughts and prayers to his family during this time. 

READ NEXT: Pro-Life Generation Favorites: SFLA’s Top Five Blogs in 2023