![The Openly Gay Architect of the 1963 March on Washington – Bayard Rustin [VIDEO]](https://i0.wp.com/cypheravenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/photo2.jpg?resize=1000%2C631&ssl=1)
“The Proof that one truly believes is in action” -Bayard Rustin (1912 – 1987)
My pissed-offedness (yes I know that is not a word) changed to admiration and joy when the legacy fully set in of what had been hidden from me my whole life. Bayard Rustin was one bad muthafucka who fought for civil rights for all Americans. Understand this…If it were not for Bayard Rustin, chances are you would have never heard Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Why…because Mr. Bayard Rustin organized the ENTIRE march on Washington! Yes, this gay black brother handled his business. As we celebrate the unveiling of the Martin Luther King memorial in Washington DC, I personally will have a moment of silence for Bayard Rustin.
So as the black masses hate on homosexuality, we will know the truth; which is that America owes a lot of the civil rights movement and it’s victories to Bayard Rustin.
Below is a brief bio about Mr. Rustin from the website dedicated to him http://rustin.org
A master strategist and tireless activist, Bayard Rustin is best remembered as the organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, one of the largest nonviolent protests ever held in the United States. He brought Gandhi’s protest techniques to the American civil rights movement, and helped mold Martin Luther King, Jr. into an international symbol of peace and nonviolence.
Despite these achievements, Rustin was silenced, threatened, arrested, beaten, imprisoned and fired from important leadership positions, largely because he was an openly gay man in a fiercely homophobic era. Five years in the making and the winner of numerous awards, BROTHER OUTSIDER presents a feature-length documentary portrait, focusing on Rustin’s activism for peace, racial equality, economic justice and human rights.
Today, the United States is still struggling with many of the issues Bayard Rustin sought to change during his long, illustrious career. His focus on civil and economic rights and his belief in peace, human rights and the dignity of all people remain as relevant today as they were in the 1950s and 60s.
Rustin’s biography is particularly important for lesbian and gay Americans, highlighting the major contributions of a gay man to ending official segregation in America. Rustin stands at the confluence of the great struggles for civil, legal and human rights by African-Americans and lesbian and gay Americans. In a nation still torn by racial hatred and violence, bigotry against homosexuals, and extraordinary divides between rich and poor, his eloquent voice is needed today.
In February 1956, when Bayard Rustin arrived in Montgomery to assist with the nascent bus boycott, Martin Luther King, Jr. had not personally embraced nonviolence. In fact, there were guns inside King’s house, and armed guards posted at his doors. Rustin persuaded boycott leaders to adopt complete nonviolence, teaching them Gandhian nonviolent direct protest.
Apart from his career as an activist, Rustin the man was also fun-loving, mischievous, artistic, gifted with a fine singing voice, and known as an art collector who sometimes found museum-quality pieces in New York City trash. Historian John D’Emilio calls Rustin the “lost prophet” of the civil rights movement.
Yooo, not gonna even lie, Ocky, I didn’t know about Rustin until this post…Props dude.
Sad part though is that the masses would still dismiss it if they knew an openly gay black man ran ish back then. You never hear Jesse Jackson or Rev Al Sharpton mention him at all.
I am moved with passion, respect and honor by the articles on Bayard Rustin and Glen Burke. Being a sport fan I was familiar with Glen to some degree but not Bayard. Why haven’t brothers like these been pushed to the forth front of the Gay Pride Events alone side of the big voice female singers at least honorable mention.
The Civil Rights movement will never honor Bayard. Both should be talked about, honored and remembered, not that their lives were perfect but they lived them unafraid, uncompromised and without limits. We as a community, people and individuals must not forget their contributions. I will never forget them ever! If, we will not honor our own, who will?
Thanks for posting this history about Bayard Rustin. I first learned about him more than 10 to 15 years ago while doing some research on Black history. To this day, the only time I ever hear or see ANYTHING about this man is on certain public television stations like PBS, through on-line gay-related media, or in certain books in my local book store. It is shameful too, that a few so-called Black History Month organizers (in my area) failed to mention Rustin and other very active but “behind-the-scenes” aides, organizers, workers, and supporters of the civil rights era, especially if they were known to be gay or bisexual. Hmmm…it never seems to amaze me that the expression of “I learned it on the Internet” continues to prove itself truer all the time!
I read a book about him(Bayard Rustin) a few years back and it was one of the big factors of me coming out as a artist. As a black man I needed to know about him back in grammar school(The march is thought but not who put it all together). Very important part of black history. As a gay man it would’ve been instrumental knowing about him for my development as queer person of color. His story could change young questioning queer boys lives, just by giving them another view of themselves thats not often seen. Thanks for sharing D.C.
This was a good article because a lot of never new this about him. In his hometown of West Chester, PA they have name one of their high schools after him. Now that is is honor seem this is basically a white suburban Philadelphia school district.