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Bayard Rustin s clear sense of morality, justice and militant commitment to Gandhian nonviolence, paired with a brilliant capacity for strategy in social justice movements in the mid 20th century still have a ripple effect today making this country and the world a better, kinder place to live. Rustin got the biographer he deserved in John D'Emilio. This is no dry history or sterile compilation of foot-noted facts. It reads like historical fiction.

This book continues to be a deep education in the history of civil rights and non-violent protest, particularly as to the fight for Black equality in the U.S. The context for the quote is the aftermath of the 1965 riots in Watts, and the discussions Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bayard Rustin engaged in with public officials.

I have a lot of thoughts. I‘ve learned so much. Will be an interesting review to write when I‘m done.

“In most of the dramatic ways, the so called big ways, I was prepared to give all. I would, I believe, have died rather than join the army. But in the small and really primary ways I was as selfish as a child. I am sure that in a way I must have known this. Now I feel it and know that pride must be overcome…. I have pledged before God that I will live more non-violently in the small ways that support the big ones if they are to be real.”

“Rustin saw extremism as a prelude to engagement. He was drawn to it, as were all the other members of Peacemakers and other small militant groups, but he also wanted results. He wanted a radicalism that provoked action. As the cold war heated up, it was not likely that the cause of peace would find many takers.”

Finding myself fascinated and in awe of this man and his life.

May‘s #bookspinbingo is on! First up is the tagged book. About 20% into it and it is excellent. Very enlightening about the pacifist movement during WWII in America and how it dovetailed with improving race relations and doing away with segregation. So much of what I know of civil rights began in the ‘60s but there was a lot of prior development before civil rights hit the national stage.

I highly recommend this book. It was a big help for me while writing a high school research paper about Bayard Rustin. The man behind the movement, who did so much but was forgotten by history for so long, all because he was gay. Truly an amazing man who lived such a interesting life. I chose him to write my research paper and I‘m happy I did because I don‘t think I would have done as well with someone else. A black and gay icon and hero of a man.

This book about Bayard Rustin who grew up here, is high in scholarly details about the civil rights movement and how Rustin was involved. So it took a while to work my way through this book. Then the last 20 years of his life was summarized in just one final chapter. I would have liked to read more about his involvement with gay rights in his final years (he passed at 75 in 1987). Our local HS opened 11 years ago and is named after Rustin.

I'm liking The Happiness Project; lots of food for thought. Want to let some of that marinate, so am pausing that and getting back to The Lost Prophet. I had left off at when Rustin was in prison for refusing to be drafted into WWII. He was a Quaker. 8.5 hours of reading so far! Just realized I haven't read any fiction yet! #24in48 #readathon

This book was written in 2003. Slightly inaccurate-- no re-naming was involved-- Bayard Rustin HS opened in 2006, as the third, and newest, HS in our district. But, it is true that there were several that didn't want it named after a gay man, in spite of his accomplishments. Proud that was overruled! #24in48

Finished one book (the last 80 pages during #24in48), and starting on this bio on Bayard Rustin. It's a big book, and will probably have some shorter reads in between-- but hope to finish it by the end of the readathon! Rustin was part of the civil rights movement and organized the 1963 March on Washington. But he was openly gay, and eventually was no longer in their inner circle. Our local high school is named after him; he grew up here in town.