Bayard Rustin: A Legacy of Protest and Politics

2024 Outstanding Academic Title, given by Choice Reviews, celebrates the life and legacy of Bayard Rustin, the civil rights leader behind the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Rustin's legacy touches many areas of contemporary life, from civil resistance to violent uprisings, democracy to socialism, and criminal justice reform to war resistance. Despite his achievements, Rustin was often relegated to the background due to his homosexuality in a fiercely homophobic era. This volume draws a full picture of Rustin, a gay, pacifist, socialist political radical who changed the course of US history and set a precedent for future civil rights activism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 26 September 2023
Publisher: New York University Press

Bayard Rustin, a civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, is the subject of the 2024 Outstanding Academic Title, given by Choice Reviews. While Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech is often remembered, Rustin's role in organizing the nonviolent protest is often overlooked. Rustin's legacy extends to various aspects of contemporary life, including civil resistance, violent uprisings, democracy, socialism, criminal justice reform, and war resistance. Despite his significant contributions, Rustin faced significant discrimination and marginalization due to his homosexuality in a homophobic era. This volume, with essays from esteemed writers, including Rustin's partner, Walter Naegle, provides a comprehensive portrait of Rustin's life and impact, highlighting his role as a gay, pacifist, socialist political radical who shaped US history and set a precedent for future civil rights activism.

Weight: 562g
Dimension: 162 x 237 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479818495