Bayard Rustin

1912 - 1987

5 Quotes

Biography

Bayard Rustin was an American leader in social movements for civil rights, socialism, and nonviolence. He played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement as a close advisor to Martin Luther King Jr., helping to organize the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. Rustin was also a vocal advocate for gay rights and openly gay at a time when it was still taboo. His activism extended to labor struggles and opposition to apartheid in South Africa.