Looking at the Legacy of Bayard Rustin
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
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Filming and Editing by Rebecca Hamilton-Levi
Music: On the Horizon by Andy Ellison
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Transcript:
Well, as an African-American gay man, and to a certain degree as a Quaker, Bayard was faced with discrimination and with prejudice throughout his life -- certainly throughout the early part of his life. Being any of those things, including being Quaker, was not the most common thing in the American society. And so he struggled with discrimination in the larger society but also in the religious community and within the Quaker community itself. And certainly as a gay man, I mean, there was no question that he was discriminated against. Not necessarily always in this crude or overt kind of fashion but you know, there was always this kind of subtly undertone about well, what do we do with Bayard?
Looking at the Legacy of Bayard Rustin
My name is Walter Naegle. I live in New York City, in Manhattan. I am currently employed by the Religious Society of Friends in New York Yearly Meeting. I am not officially a Quaker and I'm not a member of a monthly Meeting but my late partner Bayard Rustin was a longtime member of Fifteenth Street Meeting here in New York City.
Who was Bayard Rustin?
Bayard Rustin was an African-American gay male Quaker who was very influential in the African-American Civil Rights Movement in our country. That is primarily what people would associate him with because he was the organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom where Dr. King gave his most famous speech. But Bayard had been involved in struggles for social justice for 20+ years before that and certainly 25 years after that.
Facing Discrimination as a Black Gay Man
Bayard was working very closely with the-- well, he was in the Fellowship of Reconciliation and he was on the staff of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and in 1953 Bayard was on a speaking engagement in Pasadena, California for the American Friends Service Committee and he was arrested on what was then called a morals charge. He was caught having sexual relations in a public place. It was in the middle of the night; it was on a dark street, it was not out in broad daylight on a Saturday afternoon or anything like that, but nevertheless he was arrested. And I guess it was in 1953 or 1954, shortly before the African-American struggle really took off in Montgomery, a small group of Quakers gathered at Pendle Hill (a study center in Pennsylvania) to produce a document on what was then called the Cold War, or the struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union. And after several days of meeting and discernment and discussion, they produced a document called "Speak Truth to Power" which I have right here. Despite the fact that Bayard was a very important part of that group - in fact, he has been credited with coining the phrase "speak truth to power,"- his name was left off the document. So, you know, I see that certainly as a form of discrimination and persecution if you will because all of the people (or most of the people; at least the ones I've spoken to on the committee) felt that he made an invaluable contribution to that document and it would not have been the document that it was without Bayard's contribution. Now in all fairness to the AFSC, they restored his name to the document in 2012 which was the centennial year of Bayard's birth.
More: fdsj.nl/bayard-rustin
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The views expressed in this video are of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Friends Journal or its collaborators.
Thank you for this interview. It’s so important to hear from the friends who knew him well.
Bayard introduced my parents to each other and my oldest brother is named after him.
Such a beautiful thing
Thank you for this. Although, people seem to over simplify many of those who we call black, queer heroes when they have passed away . I just think it is important to discuss the complexity of the individual which in many cases humanizes them in my view.
Good to hear from you about him
This was very interesting.
From Protests to Politics! That is what Bayard Brought Forth!
We will never forget Rustin.
The film on Netflix will help keep the memory of Rustin alive ....
Love this 😍🔥🙌🏿
Im straight man I just found out about Bayard Rustin 4 days ago through his debates with Malcolm X .. I've become obsessed with him!! He was very eloquent speaker and his opinions make sense.. he was an extremely Brave man who took many chances including love!!! Bless his heart!!
He was a great singer and good athlete too he has an amazing career resume!!
He went to prison and was arrested over 20 times for the cause
Former FBI directorJ Edgar Hoover who was gay and crossdresser which was found out by the mafia and used against him so he never went after the mafia.. threatened Martin Luther King that he was going to spread a rumor that both Bayard and Martin Luther we're having a gay relationship...
Former FBI director J Edgar Hoover who was gay and a crossdresser which was found out by the mafia so he never really went after them.. threatened Martin Luther King that he was going to release a rumor the Bayard and him were having a relationship. Which was not true!! J Edgar Hoover was Despicable hypocrite!!
J Edgar Hoover FBI director threatened Martin Luther King that he found out that Bayard and Martin Luther we're having a gay relationship together.. which was not true Hoover was also gay crossdresser which was founded by the American Mafia so he never went after them.. J Edgar Hoover was despicable hypocrite!!!
Bayard Rustin 1912-87
wild how little information and videos there is about him. even on youtube theres not tons of content, and this video only has 7 comments?!
watching this not knowing anything about Bayard, it's frustrating that the speaker doesn't present introductory information. I know nothing of him except this video
Just saw this too short video after seeing Walter Naegle speak briefly at the premiere of the Netflix film "Rustin." Walter was Bayard's "partner" in that when they met one another and fell in love in the 1970's, same sex marriage was not legal in our country. So Bayard adopted the much younger Walter Naegle as his son.
I think this video is taken out of context.
If you have Netflix, "Rustin" was released Nov. 17, 2023. It's an awesome movie.
Agent against his own people... Bring that up
Informants are liars they're trying to get a lesser charge sentence.. you've never been to jail or prison have you
Negative!!
@danielcruz8347 Do your OWN research
@marvinhagler4721 Yes I have. We all must be careful where we get are information from... have a good one today!!💙🙏🏼
@danielcruz8347 I do ..from several sources...peace to u
Bayard Rustin was an informant
Liar.
Informants are liars they're trying to get a lesser charge or sentence!!! You've never been to jail or prison have you
Negative!!!
@@danielcruz8347 he worked with the CIA for the overthrowing of the dominican republic's government