Bayard Rustin Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

[William769]

Dr. Martin Luther King's key advisor receives highest civilian honor 25 years after his death.


An advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of two openly gay Americans announced as a posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, according to a press release from the White House today.

Bayard Rustin, the openly gay right-hand man to the legendary Dr. King, has been called the "lost prophet" of the Civil Rights Movement. The late Rustin organized demonstrations, rallied activists, and lobbied politicians to help make life better for people of color. He was a key organizer in the historic March on Washington in 1963, where Dr. King delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. Rustin died in 1987.

Rustin will be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian honor available — as the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington nears, notes the Human Rights Campaign, which lobbied for Rustin's inclusion.

"Bayard Rustin’s contributions to the American civil rights movement remain paramount to its successes to this day," said HRC President Chad Griffin in a statement. "His role in the fight for civil rights of African-Americans is all the more admirable because he made it as a gay man, experiencing prejudice not just because of his race, but because of his sexual orientation as well."

http://www.advocate.com/society/people/2013/08/08/bayard-rustin-awarded-presidential-medal-freedom

[frazzled]

1. That's fabulous

He was such an important force in the civil rights movement; really the brains behind it. There might not have been an MLK as we knew him had it not been for the path paved by Rustin. And then he was so shamefully treated by the movement itself, because he was gay.

POV/PBS did an excellent documentary about him a number of years ago (actually, a decade ago), called "Brother Outsider." I hope they re-air it for this occasion.

Long before Martin Luther King, Jr. became a national figure, Bayard Rustin routinely put his body — and his life — on the line as a crusader for racial justice. Rustin's commitment to pacifism and his visionary advocacy of Gandhian nonviolence made him a pioneer in the 1940s, and captured King's imagination in the 1950s. In 1963, with more than 20 years of organizing experience behind him, Rustin brought his unique skills to the crowning glory of his civil rights career: his work organizing the historic March on Washington, the biggest protest America had ever witnessed.

But Rustin was also seen as a political liability. He was openly gay during the fiercely homophobic era of the 40s and 50s; as a result, he was frequently shunned by the very civil rights movement he helped create. The compelling new film Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin chronicles Rustin's complex life story, a tale of race, prejudice, and idealism at the heart of 20th century America. Though he had to overcome the stereotypes associated with being an illegitimate son, an African American, a gay man and a one-time member of the Communist Party, Rustin — the ultimate outsider — eventually became a public figure and respected political insider. He not only shaped civil rights movement strategy as a longtime advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr., but was known and respected by numerous U.S. Presidents and foreign leaders.

http://www.pbs.org/pov/brotheroutsider/film_description.php

[William769]

2. Agreed.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. PBS aired and will air it again. Here is the film's own website with details as

well as the full text of Obama's announcement of this and the other awards.

BROTHER OUTSIDER RETURNS TO PUBLIC TELEVISION! In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, BROTHER OUTSIDER will be broadcast on Sunday, August 11, 2013, at 8 pm EST (check local listings) as part of the America ReFramed series on public television’s WORLD Channel.
http://rustin.org/

[geek tragedy]

3. an American hero. nt

[Cha]

5. Awesome! mahalo, William!