Bayard Rustin was a central figure in the civil rights movement and an openly gay man at a time when homosexuality was criminalized and heavily stigmatized in the United States. Born on March 17, 1912, in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Rustin's work spanned several decades during which he advocated for nonviolent protest and civil rights -- principles instilled in him early on by his Quaker upbringing --, playing a pivotal role in organizing the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. His life and work exemplify the intersectionality of struggles against various forms of discrimination.
Rustin's sexual orientation was a significant aspect of his life and activism, impacting his work and how he was perceived within the civil rights movement. Despite his contributions, he often faced discrimination and challenges within the movement due to his openness about his sexuality. His “moral cause” arrest in 1953 for a homosexual act was used against him by political opponents and often even by his allies within the civil rights movement, who feared association with his sexual orientation might harm their cause, which resulted in Rustin often being kept behind the scenes.
Despite these challenges, Rustin remained steadfast in his commitment to civil rights and social justice.
Rustin's activism began in the 1930s and 1940s when he was involved with the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), two organizations committed to nonviolent protest against racial segregation. His early work included participating in the first Freedom Rides, challenging segregation on interstate buses.
In the 1950s, Rustin became a close advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., helping to shape King's commitment to nonviolence. Rustin's experience with organizing and strategic planning was critical in the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a seminal event in the civil rights movement. Despite often being kept behind the scenes, primarily due to concerns within the movement about his homosexuality, his organizational genius was undeniable, culminating in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, which he organized alongside A. Philip Randolph. This event remains one of the most significant and largest peaceful demonstrations for civil rights in U.S. history.
After the black civil rights movement's peak years, Rustin continued his activism, focusing on labor rights, socialism, and international human rights, going on several humanitarian missions to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Haiti in the 1970s and 80s. He also began shifting more of his attention to LGB rights, recognizing the parallels between the struggles against racial discrimination and the fight against sexual orientation discrimination.
Between 1965 and 1979, Rustin led the A. Philip Randolph Institute, the African American constituency group of the AFL-CIO, focused on integrating unions and encouraging union membership among African Americans, collaborating closely with A. Philip Randolph, until Randolph's death in 1979.
In his later years, Rustin became more vocal about LGB issues, shifting his primary focus and work to the LGB rights movement and AIDs education advocacy in the 1980s. During this time, Rustin used his long-established platform and connections in civil rights to advocate for legal protections for gay individuals. In 1986, he spoke in favor of New York State's Gay Rights Bill, stating during his testimony, “gay people are the new barometer for social change.”
Sadly, Rustin died unexpectedly on August 26, 1987, from a perforated appendix.
In 2013, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Bayard Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom, acknowledging his profound contributions to the civil rights movement and his work advancing equality and justice for all Americans, regardless of race or sexual orientation.
Although Rustin did not focus his work on LGB issues until the last few years of his life, his courage to be an openly gay black man in the civil rights movement during what was arguably one of the most hostile eras of the 20th century to be black and to be gay in America, provided representation for LGB people that was immeasurably valuable and powerful. In his openness, Rustin showed society the image of a respectable, peaceful, intelligent gay man and showed the LGB community that their sexual orientation need not be a barrier to their work or dreams.
Bayard Rustin's legacy is one of nonviolent progress and a bridge between the racial civil rights and LGB civil rights movements, and it continues to inspire activists today. His authenticity in his dedicated fight for peace, nonviolence, and equality for all people, regardless of race or sexual orientation, is a testament to his belief in justice, peace, and the power of nonviolent protest.
I watched Rustin today and could feel the whole thing as an ethnically Jewish Lesbian from NYC and all the activism I have done as a woman, as a Lesbian and as a Union Tradeswoman( now retired from the Trades). Also was heavily involved with the Marriage Equality Movement and lifelong Feminist since age 9!!
Multiple levels of discrimination, some from one's own which is often the hardest.
What a brave, outspoken and bold man Bayard Rustin was and for all his hard work, pressured to stay out of the limelight. I truly admire him.