An unsung hero of the civil rights movement

In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington to nearly a quarter million people. None of it would have been possible without the march’s chief organizer – a man named Bayard Rustin. Christina Greer details his life of advocacy as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, and the challenges he faced as an openly gay black man.

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Bayard Rustin originally sought out the Communist Party as his political home. However, he left the party due to feeling the party was too authoritarian. Why do you think Rustin decided not to choose the Democratic or Republican parties? Do you think he was spending his time effectively with a party that so many people viewed negatively? Is there a different strategy Rustin could have taken during this time, especially as someone interested in politics and civil rights? Are there certain circumstances that would change our opinion?