Contents
Bayard Rustin
Organizing the 1963 March on Washington and advancing nonviolent civil-rights action.
Journey of Reconciliation · March on Washington
- Born
- 17 March 1912
- Birthplace
- West Chester, United States
- Died
- 24 August 1987
More people
Bayard Rustin
American organizer whose strategic and logistical work helped turn civil-rights demands into mass public action. He also campaigned for labour rights and gay rights.
Early life
Quaker upbringing
Raised by his grandparents in a family involved in civil-rights work.
Music and organizing
Attended several colleges and earned money as a singer before committing himself to political organizing.
Career
- 1940s
Nonviolent organizing
Worked with the Fellowship of Reconciliation and A. Philip Randolph against segregation.
- 1950s
Movement strategist
Advised Martin Luther King Jr. and helped develop coordinated nonviolent campaigns.
- 1963–1965
National leadership
Organized the March on Washington and later helped establish the A. Philip Randolph Institute.
Campaigns & contributions
Journey of Reconciliation
An interracial journey challenging segregation on interstate buses.
March on Washington
Coordinated the vast demonstration for jobs and freedom.
A. Philip Randolph Institute
Helped connect civil-rights organizing with the labour movement.
Beyond work
Conscientious objection
His pacifism led him to refuse military service, resulting in imprisonment during the Second World War.
Gay rights
Faced discrimination because he was gay and later spoke publicly for equal rights.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Institutional biography and career ↗Photo: Leffler, Warren K., photographer; cropped by Beyond My Ken ( talk ) 09:59, 25 November 2010 (UTC). Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
