“Rustin” Hits Netflix, Shining a Light on one of the Unsung Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement
Just a little over sixty years ago, the monumental March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place, amassing 250,000 peaceful protestors advocating for the civil and economic rights of African Americans. The march, where MLK delivered his famed “I Have a Dream” speech, remains to this day one of the country’s largest political rallies in history, and ultimately helped pave the way for the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Bayard Rustin, who was a prominent leader among various social movements and a trusted advisor to MLK, was the primary force behind the organization of the March on Washington. However, much of his work went unacknowledged by the public and he was largely left out of the spotlight because of his identity as an openly gay man.
On Friday, Netflix released “Rustin,” a film chronicling the behind the scenes organization of the Great March on Washington, and the life of the man primarily responsible for its inception: Bayard Rustin. The film, which features Coleman Domingo and Chris Rock among other masterclass actors, was executive produced by the Obamas and shines a light on the pivotal activist who was nearly erased from civil rights history.
MLK’s endorsement of nonviolent resistance undoubtedly shaped the civil rights movement and elevated it to success. Though, the extent to which the movement became so overtly imbued with nonviolence is largely attributed to Bayard Rustin. Serving as a mentor to King, Rustin was the one who led him to the philosophies and practices of Gandhi, influencing him to apply these methods to the movement of the time.
Throughout the film Rustin encounters various obstacles in spearheading the organization of the march, many of which stem from outside perceptions based on his sexual orientation. In a powerful scene, Rustin faces potentially being removed from the march altogether and confides in Dr. King, saying, “the easiest way to combat that feeling of not being enough is to find someone we consider less than. Less than because they are poorer than us or because they are darker than us or because they desire someone our churches and laws say they should not desire…On the day that I was born Black, I was born a homosexual. They either believe in freedom and justice for all, or they do not.” Rustin’s monologue captures the very essence of the civil rights movement, expressing that the fight for equality cannot be selective in its nature without risking insincerity.
Rustin remained a committed advocate for civil and social rights until his passing in 1987, and he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013 for his activism and influence in the civil rights movement.
If you’ve already seen “Rustin,” leave a comment below with some of your thoughts about the film, and if you haven’t yet be sure to check it out on Netflix if you can
