Lost Profit : The Life And Times Of Bayard Rustin

Jackie Robinson- a revolutionary baseball player did not stop simply with changing sports, he fought in all aspects for the civil rights that he believed African Americans should have. “His courage and bravery played a major role in the history of integration, both on the field and throughout American society, and no history of the civil rights movement would be complete without noting Robinson’s major role… he was one of the movement’s strongest voices” (Gates). Jackie was a monumental and impactful voice in the Civil Rights Movement, he spoke out to the public and made his opinion and dream known that he believed African Americans deserved equal rights and status with whites in America. When his virtuous friend, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested in Georgia, Robinson asked Presidential Candidate Nixon to intervene and release King from jail (Gates). Also, Robinson corresponded with people like Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon to try and further civil rights (Anderson and Mosor). He was also arrested while serving in the army for refusing to move to the back of a bus and then was placed in martial court with all odds stacked against him, Robinson surprisingly won the case and was not convicted of the two charges for disobedience (PBS). Winning the case proved that Jackie

With reference to the Stonewall riots of 1969, it is important to understand that the riot by the Lesbian and Gay Rights Movement came at a time when the civil rights movement was in its high peak. The riots for equality by the Gay and Lesbian groups and activists came at a time when Americans minority groups were fighting for identity in the typical American culture. Then again, it is significant to note that the trends that surround the Stonewall riots were the intense hatred towards the homosexual individuals that had hit the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. The Gay and Lesbian people had to seek solace in Homosexual perceived bars and night clubs as they feared for their life due to their ‘awkward’ sexual orientation at the time (Ruta, 2013). Similarly, another trend that characterized the Stonewall riot was the Cold War policies that had earmarked Homosexual individuals and organization as security threats. With the rising tension due to the cold war, the United States government had blacklisted Gay and Lesbian groups and individuals as an easy target for blackmail by the Communist groups. As a result, they faced constant harassment from police in the 1940s all through to the Stonewall riot in 1969. The uprising is as a result of the civil rights movement that allowed for many minorities and interest groups to come out and fight for their rights.

The Civil Rights Movement has had many outstanding individuals who brought the movement into the forefront of American society at times. One of these individuals was Bayard Rustin. Bayard Rustin was a co- founder of the Congress of Racial Equality in 1942 and was a peace activist. Being a close associate of Martine Luther King, many of his beliefs about Civil Rights were similar to Dr. King’s. His speech " From Protest to Politics: The Future of the Civil Rights Movement", originally printed in Commentary, is significant because it advocates for a new approach to the civil right movement that demands economic, political and social aspects be viewed in ways not previously done, which made it politically controversial and rejected by many for various reasons.

I chose to use Bayard Rustin’s “Montgomery to Stonewall” essay as my text source, due to its metaphors that help compare the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and other notable social movements to the Gay Liberation Movement of the 1970s. I will be writing in a speech text type using my text source as inspiration. The speaker in my poem is a young African American female who is inspired by Rustin’s message to continue fighting for racial equality and equality for the LGBTQ+ community in the modern age. My speaker is talking to a diverse global audience, who are people willing to stand up to injustice in the world. My speaker’s purpose in the poem is to inspire people to

Gays were forced to stay under the shadow. They were afraid to show their own true colors. Harvey Milk was a gay activist who had encouraged people to come out of the closet and join their organization to fight for their rights. He says “Burst down those closet doors and stand up once and for all, and start to fight.” (Document G) In the the quote he explains that people who are scared and haven’t come out of the closet should and help join the movement for equal rights for homosexuals. Harvey Milk’s encouragement had a big impact in the past organizations, his voice and words have impacted the LGBT society in a big way. In document H it shows how people were doing riots to express how they felt. This helped make people aware of their movement and what they want. They were able to express how they felt through these riots. Today, all these riots and LGBT activist work have made an everlasting impact. They had finished their goal and had legalized gay marriage, something they have been fighting for a long time. Even though they face discrimination, they have had made a huge step for equality because of their hard work in the past and

Bayard Rustin was one of the most influential organizers and also key members of the civil rights movement. A gay man and once a member of the communist party, Rustin went on to play a significant role in fighting for the rights of African Americans and later on the gay community in the United States. Mostly working behind the scenes, he was able to mold the movement into a symbol of non-violent resistance in the United States and even the world over. He was also an influential figure who sculpted Martin Luther King Jr, who previously had bodyguards for his family and also carried a personal hand gun, to a fundamental understanding of non-violence (Kates and Singer). Throughout his career in the civil rights movement, Bayard Rustin had to

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the leader of the Civil Rights Movement. The Civil Rights Movement was a time in which African Americans were setting out to end segregation, specifically in the south. During this time period, African Americans were treated unequally from the white people. African Americans were unable to eat in the same restaurants, shop in the same stores, or even drink out of the same drinking fountain. Dr.

Eventually, dissenters would emerge from the black political and religious leadership (Stanford 39).” This statement makes the fact evident that religion plays a vital part in black men being against the thought of homosexuality.

The Civil Rights movement had many prominent figures who helped advance the movement. Most people think of Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks however there were many others who helped behind the scenes but had just as large of an impact. One such person was Bayard Rustin. Rustin lived from 1912-1987 and was an activist for most of his life. Bayard Rustin believed that nonviolence was the key to advancing the movement towards its goals and was not afraid to go against the law for justice.

How is it that someone can help manifest such monumental moments in history and produce a movement that change the outlook for a races future, but be erased and diminished in history by the people who is of their own kin. Bayard Rustin a man ahead of his time whose vision was only recognized by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the man who receives the majority of the recognition. He help create movements such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and help aid the creation for the March on Washington where Martin Luther King gave his Famous, “ I have a Dream” speech. Though King had various moments that are impactful to African American History, we still shun Bayard Rustin who was closest to Martin Luther King. For loving one another to triumph hate but

Martin Luther king jr. was a man who stood up for equal rights for all people no matter who you were. When martin was fighting for equality he said “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor ; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”This

During the course of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, there were several black and white supporters who had brave roles. The most prominent and persistent activist of African American rights movement was Martin Luther King Jr. King’s ideas sparked the ideal perspective of equality. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for equality by organizing marches, giving powerful speeches, and staying positive through adversity.

Bayard Rustin was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, on March 17, 1912. He moved to New York in the 1930s and was included in conservative gatherings and early social equality challenges. Joining peaceful resistance with authoritative abilities, he was a key counselor to Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s. In spite of the fact that he was captured a few times for his own common noncompliance and open homosexuality, he kept on battling for correspondence. He died in New York City on August 24, 1987.

Perhaps, the most well known of these was Martin Luther King Jr. MLK was about gaining equality and human rights for African Americans, but doing so in a peaceful way; that’s why so many people admired him and what he preached. He led many campaigns throughout much of the 1960’s which began to slowly gain results. One of the major things MLK and his followers were campaigning for was a civil rights bill to be passed. Many walks, rallies, and protests were held in order to get then president, John F. Kennedy, to propose the bill and have it pass. In the year of 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama the climax of the civil rights campaign was reached, forcing JFK to commit to proposing a civil rights bill. However, because of how big and radical this campaign was, MLK was arrested and made to spend the night in a Birmingham jail. There he wrote a letter in response to an advertisement from white clergy asking him to shut down the campaign. In the letter, MLK explains why African Americans were campaigning for this and that they wouldn’t stop until they achieved what they had been working so diligently for (13). As a result of the campaign in Birmingham and the letter MLK had written, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. The act banned public and private discrimination against African Americans and any other racial, ethnic or minority group. It also banned excluding someone from a job or a public

Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. were two prominent Americans to struggle against racism, discrimination and they too had to suffer quite a lot for Black emancipation. Martin was one of the most famouse an African-American leader and human rights activist who demanded an end to racial discrimination against blacks in 1964. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and was the youngest to hold it. Assassinated on April 4, 1968, and fought for freedom and human rights. Luther was concern to rejected all violence types.