Primary Sources

"Bayard Rustin, RIP." National Review 25 Sept. 1987: 20. U.S. History in Context. Web. 14 Oct.
2014 This is an obituary that was published in the National Review in 1987 for Bayard
Rustin. It is written to commemorate his actions. I learned from this source that Rustin
was disregarded by blacks sometimes for his interest in helping Israel. It is a primary
source because it was written soon after he died. The author could be potentially biased
in favor of Rustin, because they end by mentioning that he will be missed, but not as
much as he should be.
Bayard Rustin. N.d. The New Civil Rights Movement. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/bayard-rustin-martin-luther-king-jr-s-gaystrategist-deserves-better/politics/2011/08/23/25730>. The image I took from this website
depicts a smiling Rustin, which is rare in the majority of his photographs. The article the
photo is part of includes quotes from Rustin's partner, Walter Naegle, which leads me to
believe that the author did research and has some background information. I don't know
how credible the website is, so the image is the only part of it that I am using.
Bayard Rustin giving a speech. N.d. Brother Outsider- About Bayard Rustin. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
<http://rustin.org/?page_id=2>. I found this photograph using Google image search. It's a
primary source because it was taken of Bayard Rustin while he was giving a speech. The
picture linked to the Brother Outsider website. Brother Outsider is a documentary about
Bayard Rustin that was selected to be shown at the Sundance Film Festival. The
photograph also shows people surrounding Rustin as he raises his arms in the air,
obviously passionate about his speech.

Bayard Rustin, thinking. The Jose Vilson. Jose Luis Vilson, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.
<http://thejosevilson.com/know-your-stuff-and-other-thoughts-on-teacher-leadershipedutopia/>. This photograph shows Rustin with his hand near his mouth, thinking. I
found it on a website about teaching in an article about how to be an effective leader and
teacher. I like that Rustin doesn't appear to know a picture is being taken of him when it
is taken, so he looks very real and natural.
ErikLungaard.com. Erik Lungaard, 4 Nov. 2011. Web. 5 Nov. 2014.
<http://eriklundegaard.com/item/the-bravest-man-of-the-20th-century>. I am only using
the image from this website, because I don't trust the actual article it is in. The author
doesn't appear to have any obvious credentials, and puts opinion into his writing. The
image shows Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. giving his "I Have a Dream" speech with Rustin
in the background.
King, Martin Luther, Jr. "To Bayard Rustin." Letter to Bayard Rustin. 24 Sept. 1956. Martin
Luther King Jr. Papers Project. The Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project. Web. 29 Nov.
2014. <http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/primarydocuments/Vol3/20-Sept1956_ToRustin.pdf>. This letter from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Bayard Rustin
answers Rustin's questions about finances and the people's opinions on the current
situation with racial tension and injustice, especially in transportation. It is a primary
source from a project that collects documents pertaining to Martin Luther King Jr. so I
trust it's authenticity.
King Jr., Martin Luther, Dr. "I Have a Dream." Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. 28 Aug.
1963. American Rhetoric. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm>. This recording of

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech "I Have a Dream," is also transcribed. I found it in a
collection of recordings on a website called "American Rhetoric". I found another speech
where Rustin spoke also on the site. This recording is of the actual speech being given in
1963.
KVOS Special: The Color of Black. Interview with James Farmer. Western Today: Active Minds
Changing Lives. Western Washington University, 24 Sept. 2010. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.
<http://onlinefast.org/wwutoday/videos/western-libraries-offers-local-1960s-filmarchives-online>. This video is a primary source. It is a news show that was aired on TV
on April 15, 1965. The man being interviewed, James Farmer, worked with Rustin as part
of Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He recounts his experience being chased by all
kinds of law enforcement who wanted to kill him, and how these people tear gassed a
church full of people multiple times in effort to find him. I trust this video's authenticity
because it appears realistic and has the film quality from the time.
Lecturer Bayard Rustin Jailed on Morals Charge. 1953. Black History Month. Web. 11 Mar.
2015. <https://amirhbahati.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/black-history-month-givingbayard-rustin-his-due/>. I found this scanned version of a newspaper article briefly
describing the reason for Rustin's arrest in 1953- a supposed sexual act involving two
white men in a parked automobile. It is a primary source because it was printed at the
time of Rustin's arrest, when he was only forty years old. The article includes a picture of
Rustin and "India's Nehru." I will use this source to supplement my point that Rustin was
arrested many times for various reasons.
"Letter from Bayard Rustin to MLK." The King Center Digital Archive. King Center, The, n.d.
Web. 26 Oct. 2014. <http://www.thekingcenter.org/archive/document/letter-bayard-

rustin-mlk-3#>. I found this article in an archive called "The King Center," and it shows
Rustin's handwritten note at the bottom of a letter to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This is a
trustworthy primary source because it has Rustin's own signature at the bottom. I used
this source to find other primary sources in the same archive, and they were all extremely
clear pictures of actual documents from the time period.
New York Times News Service. "Bayard Rustin, Rights Pioneer, Aide to Martin Luther King."
Editorial. Chicago Tribune. Chicago Tribune, n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.
<http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-08-25/news/8703040684_1_bayard-rustin-civilrights-rights-pioneer>. I found this source on Chicago Tribune's website, but it was
written by The New York Times in 1987 after Rustin died. I trust the source because it was
published by such a renowned newspaper. This article gave me a general summary of his
life and information about the views of him right after he died. The article ended with a
quote from James Farmer that said, "Bayard has no credibility in the black community,"
even though the rest of the article appeared to support him.
Rider, Madeline. Bayard Rustin speaking at the March on Washington. YouTube. YouTube, 18
May 2014. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW7urLULT9k>.
This video clip shows Bayard Rustin giving the demands of the March on Washington for
Jobs and Freedom 1963. I have already found a transcript of his entire speech, and this
was only a small part of it, but I didn't realize there were actual videos of him speaking. I
know this is a trustworthy video of him because of the quality and content. It was
probably taken for the news at the time.
Rustin, Bayard. "From Montgomery to Stonewall." University of Pennsylvania. 1986. Illinois
Pro Bono. Illinois Pro Bono, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.illinoisprobono.org/calendarUploads/Rustin%20Documents.pdf>. This
speech was originally given by Rustin in 1986 to University of Pennsylvania class. The
manuscript, although adapted from it's original, is published on a law firm's website,
where I found it. The speech is about "gay rights" and how gay people have a
responsibility to protest for their rights as black people did theirs. The speech is an
incredible example of Rustin's persuasive, inspiring, charismatic speaking and writing
skills that made him a successful leader. This speech is intended to rally people and show
the importance of the "gay rights" movement.
- - -. Interracial Primer. Illus. William Huntington. N.p.: n.p., 1943. Illinois Pro Bono. Web. 11
Nov. 2014. <http://www.illinoisprobono.org/calendarUploads/Rustin
%20Documents.pdf>. This primary source is a pamphlet that Rustin wrote about how to
overcome everyday racial tensions. It was published in 1943, and has small drawings of
black and white people doing things such as working, eating, and shopping together
scattered throughout. It includes information for black and white people about being
peaceful and looking out for one another. I was surprised to find this source on a law
firm's website, but it is a scanned copy of an original pamphlet with Rustin's name on it,
so I trust it.
- - -, comp. Organizing Manual #2: Final Plans for the March on Washington for Jobs and
Freedom, August 28, 1963. N.p.: n.p., 1963. Illinois Pro Bono. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.illinoisprobono.org/calendarUploads/Rustin%20Documents.pdf>. This
primary source is a brochure given to all those planning to participate in the March on
Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. It includes information about the demands of
the March (such as a Federal Fair Employment Practices Act) and the schedule for the

actual March. It is a scanned copy of the real brochure, and I trust it's authenticity
because it appears to be in the style of the other time period printed documents. It
includes Rustin's name under the title of Deputy Director.
Somerstein, Steven. "Selma to Montgomery, Alabama Civil Rights March." Smug Mug. Smug
Mug, n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2014. <http://somerstein.smugmug.com/Events/1965-Selma-toMontgomery/10353964_SqzEB/1/716461887_8XMHt#!i=1252083741&k=F6xJ3zH>.
This is a collection of photographs taken during the Selma to Montgomery March in
1965 by Steven Somerstein. There are several incredibly powerful pictures of Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. and Bayard Rustin. In the comments for the collection, a commenter
mentioned that he had been there too on the day of the March and that it was likely they
had seen each other! I really liked how the pictures showed not only the defiant
protesters, but the families watching the march and a group of white men shouting insults
at the marchers.
Strom Thurmond, speaking. N.d. Yale: Institution for Social and Policy Studies. Web. 29 Nov.
2014. <http://isps.yale.edu/sites/default/files/images/Thurmond_MayhewBlog.jpg>. This
image of Strom Thurmond (one of the politicians who tried to undermine Rustin by
publicly accusing him of crimes including homosexuality) shows him speaking
enthusiastically in front of a microphone. I found the picture on a Yale website, included
in an article about the Nuclear Option. I am not using the photograph for it's placement
within the article, just for Thurmond's connection with Rustin.
Watson, Denton L. "On the Front Line." The Crisis Mar. 1972: 100. Digital file. This article was
published in 1972 in a magazine called "The Crisis". It is a review/advertisement for
Rustin's book, "Down the Line". It summarizes Rustin's life and accomplishments at the

time. It is somewhat conflicted because it mentions that Rustin's leadership goals aren't
effective with the majority of the people involved in the Civil Rights Movement, and then
goes on to say that he is a great leader. It is an interesting look into what other's thought
of Rustin during his life.
WWII protesters. Blogspot: Peterson Toscano's a musing. Peterson Toscano, 6 July 2008. Web. 2
Dec. 2014.
<http://bp0.blogger.com/_W2q9mXohdjo/SHFXRg5DcII/AAAAAAAAA28/GyyNtDCf
kK4/s1600-h/ExplorePAHistory-a0k1w0-a_349.jpg>. I found this image in a blogger's
article on Bayard Rustin. I found it when I searched for a picture of World War II
protesters, then (coincidentally) the site it was connected to happened to be about Rustin.
The picture shows several people holding signs that say "FREE IMPRISONED WAR
OBJECTORS". I also used another picture from this website that showed Rustin and Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. walking together.

Secondary Sources
"Bayard Rustin." Contemporary Black Biography. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 1993. U.S. History in
Context. Web. 26 Sept. 2014. This is a reliable source from a book of biographies in a
database. The author goes into detail about all aspects of Rustin's life, including his
childhood and adult life. The author includes information about the organizations Rustin
was part of such as the Congress for Racial Equality. I got a lot of information from this
source about his general contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
"Bayard Rustin and the Presidential Medal of Freedom." Film and Media Archive at Washington
University in St. Louis. Film and Media Archive at Washington University in St. Louis,

n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. <http://wufilmarchive.wordpress.com/?

s=bayard+rustin&submit=Search>. I found this article in the film and media archives
belonging to the Washington University in St. Louis. The article is about Rustin receiving
the Presidential Medal of Freedom (posthumously), and includes quotes from an old
interview from 1979. I found the interview to be helpful to see Rustin's perspective on the
March on Washington. I also had never heard his opinion on television's influence of the
Civil Rights Movement before, which is that it helped to spread the facts to people who
wouldn't have seen the footage of protests otherwise.
Brickell, Allison. "The Work of Bayard Rustin." Editorial. The Human Rights Campaign. The
Human Rights Campaign, n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2014. <http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/thework-of-bayard-rustin>. This article summarized Rustin's contributions to the Civil
Rights Movement, especially what he did for LGBTQ rights. According to this article, in
the 1970's Rustin testified for the New York State's Gay Rights Bill. The reading level is
not high, and the article doesn't go very in depth, but it focuses on his LGBTQ
contributions, something most primary sources do not do. The Human Rights Campaign
focuses on human rights as opposed to gay rights, and is a trustworthy current activism
source.
Drayton, Robert. "Legendary Love: Bayard Rustin and Walter Naegle." Advocate.com. Here
Media, 28 Aug. 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2014. <http://www.advocate.com/artsentertainment/people/2014/02/12/legendary-love-bayard-rustin-and-walter-naegle?
page=0,1>. I found this article on The Advocate website. The author could have a
potential bias because he was trying to make Rustin look good as a gay leader. I found
the interview with Walter Neagle (Rustin's partner) to be informative because it gave

another perspective on his life from a person who witnessed his actions firsthand. I think
the purpose of the article was to inform of Rustin's contributions, but also to glorify his
life and sexuality, which wasn't, in my opinion, Rustin's defining feature.
"Eminence rose; The struggle for civil rights." The Economist 2 Aug. 2003: 71US. U.S. History
in Context. Web. 11 Oct. 2014. This article was originally published in The Economist
magazine in 2003. I found it on a historical database. It is one of the only articles I found
that shows Rustin in a negative way. This article speaks of him as a "fanatist" and says
that he didn't always tell the truth. Because it was published in an established magazine, I
trust it, although it's different view on Rustin does rouse suspicion because other sources
do not show him this way.
Falk, Pamela. "LGBT rights 45 years after Stonewall." CBSnews.com. Ed. CBS Staff. CBS
Interactive, 27 June 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2014. <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/lgbtrights-45-years-after-the-stonewall-riots/>. This article published on the CBS News
website gives an overview of how gay rights have progressed in American since the
Stonewall riots. It is biased in its portrayal and support of LGBT people and politics
surrounding equal rights laws in the U.S. There is a very interesting picture of a Pride
parade taken around the time of the Stonewall riots. The article is intended to summarize
the political and social movement for equal rights for LGBT people from the time of the
Stonewall riots until current times.
History.com Staff. "The Voting Rights Act." History.com. Ed. History.com Staff. A+E Networks,
2009. Web. 2 Dec. 2014. <http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/voting-rightsact>. This article published on the History.com website gives an overview of the Voting
Rights Act of 1964. It is aimed at all reading levels, and not very comprehensive. It is

intended to give a general idea as to the immediate effects and causes of the Voting
Rights Act, such as literacy tests designed to prevent blacks from voting being banned. I
found this source helpful to give me an overview of the Voting Rights Act.
Jigour, Jennifer. "LGBT through the ages." USA Today [Magazine] May 2014: 50+. U.S. History
in Context. Web. 11 Oct. 2014 This article seems to be written for younger ages, although
it is from USA Today. It gives a broad history of LGBTQ people throughout history and
only briefly mentions Rustin. It has helpful background information concerning the way
LGBTQ people were treated far before Rustin, such as that Stalin believed that if he
could take away the human desire for love, he could convert that energy into total love
for country. It is written at a lower reading level, but it informative and clear.
"Labor, Then and Now." New York Times 1 Sept. 2013: 10(L). U.S. History in Context. Web. 14
Oct. 2014 This article, published in the New York Times, compares Rustin's desires for a
higher minimum wage to the current situation with minimum wages. Although I am not
focusing on Rustin's economic contributions, it was interesting to see how the things he
wanted are still things that haven't been fixed in today's government and economy. This
source was obviously biased in favor of raising the current minimum wage.
Sekou, Osagyefo Uhuru, Rev. "Gays Are the New Niggers." Editorial. Killing the Buddha.
Killing the Buddha, 26 June 2009. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.
<http://killingthebuddha.com/mag/damnation/gays-are-the-new-niggers/>. This article
was on a website called "Killing the Buddha" and compares the civil rights struggle of
black people to the similar struggle of gay people for equality. It is definitely very biased,
and I don't know what the rest of the website is really about, but this article quoted
Rustin's speech, "The New N*iggers Are Gays" and sent a message that gay people now

face the same challenges that black people did in the past. This article says that gay
people are the new barometer for social change, as black people used to be.