Nonviolent activist for civil rights, democracy, and human rights worldwide

Bayard Rustin (1912-1987) was a nonviolent activist for social change. Specifically, he dedicated his life to the African American struggle for civil rights. He also worked to end war and militarism. Furthermore, he promoted democracy and human rights worldwide. Throughout his life, Rustin maintained connections with the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Early Life in West Chester

Bayard Rustin was born in 1912 in West Chester, Pennsylvania. His grandparents raised him in a household with mixed social and religious traditions. During his early years, he began to question ideas and customs he felt were unjust.

His grandmother, Julia Davis Rustin, introduced him to the philosophy of nonviolence. She grew up in a Quaker household and attended a local Friends school. His grandfather, Janifer Rustin, actively participated in the local African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church. Young Bayard learned from both traditions. He drew philosophical ideas from Quaker texts. He also developed his singing voice at AME services.

Although West Chester lies north of the Mason-Dixon line, racial segregation shaped daily life there. Rustin attended a segregated elementary school but an integrated high school. He participated in high school athletics. However, Black and white athletes stayed in separate housing during overnight trips. Blacks and whites attended the same movie theater, but seating remained segregated. As a teenager, Rustin organized nonviolent protests to challenge these practices.

Early Activism in New York

After high school, Rustin attended both Wilberforce and Cheyney Universities. However, he left without earning a degree. Instead, he moved to New York City. There, he threw himself into the social and political movements of the pre-World War II years.

Rustin attended classes at City College, a center of political activism. There, he further developed his political identity. After briefly joining the Young Communist League, he aligned himself with three important mentors. Democratic Socialist Norman Thomas shaped his political thinking. Labor leader A. Philip Randolph taught him organizing skills. Pacifist minister A.J. Muste deepened his commitment to nonviolence.

At the same time, Rustin grew into his identity as a young gay man. The liberal atmosphere of Harlem in the late 1930s offered some acceptance. All of these experiences combined to produce a charismatic leader. He could stir a crowd with a thoughtful speech. Then he could inspire them to join a demonstration he had carefully planned.

Quaker Involvement

During the 1940s, Bayard Rustin worked with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). He also served as a staff member for the Fellowship of Reconciliation. In this role, he traveled the country speaking on race relations, war and peace, and criminal justice.

In 1948, Rustin delivered the William Penn Lecture. His address, “In Apprehension How Like a God!”, focused on disarmament. In the early 1950s, he became an active member of Fifteenth Street Monthly Meeting in New York. He served on both the Prison and Race Relations Committees.

Rustin spent three years in federal prison as a conscientious objector. A conscientious objector is someone who refuses military service based on moral or religious beliefs. While in prison, he organized protests against racially segregated practices. This experience made him well qualified to advise Quakers on these concerns.

In 1955, Rustin helped draft the landmark Quaker pamphlet “Speak Truth to Power.” However, he asked that his name not appear on the list of contributors. A 1953 arrest on a morals charge made him concerned. He felt his name on the work would distract from its important message.

Civil Rights Organizing

The Montgomery Bus Boycott began in 1955. This event marked the beginning of an intense period of action for African American equality. Rustin’s extensive knowledge of nonviolent strategies positioned him for a significant role.

Labor leader A. Philip Randolph sent Rustin to Montgomery. E.D. Nixon, a leading local activist, had asked for help sustaining the boycott. Rustin quickly became a valued advisor to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Over the next 14 years, Rustin organized some of the most important civil rights demonstrations. In 1957, he organized the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom. In 1963, he organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Many consider this march the high point of the civil rights struggle.

Rustin also drafted articles and speeches for Dr. King. He created the outline that became the foundation for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). However, his gay identity and radical political background sometimes pushed him to the margins. Movement leaders often asked him to work behind the scenes.

The March on Washington and Beyond

The success of the 1963 March on Washington brought Rustin into the public eye. Shortly after, he cofounded the A. Philip Randolph Institute. This organization gave him a platform for promoting his vision. He believed in a racially integrated society responsive to human needs. He grounded this vision in principles of democratic socialism.

Rustin worked closely with labor, religious, and political groups. Together, they built a coalition to advance civil rights and economic justice. In his important article, “From Protest to Politics,” Rustin predicted how the movement would change. He argued that African Americans would broaden their political involvement. They would turn attention to education, jobs, and health care.

Later Life and Legacy

The passage of civil rights legislation shifted the movement’s focus. Dr. King’s assassination in 1968 deepened this change. While Rustin maintained a senior role in civil rights leadership, he broadened his concerns. He devoted more time to international human rights and democracy.

Rustin worked on behalf of political dissidents around the world. He traveled extensively with the International Rescue Committee. This organization supports refugees fleeing war and political unrest.

Although Rustin was not an active Friend during his later years, he maintained ties with the Quaker community. He spoke at Friends schools and monthly meetings. In 1985, Haverford College awarded him an honorary degree. He died in 1987.

In 1995, the town of West Chester erected a historical marker in his honor. Today, Rustin’s legacy continues to inspire activists working for justice and peace. Learn more about other African American Quakers who shaped history.

Resources on Bayard Rustin

For those who want to learn more about Bayard Rustin, these resources offer deeper information:

• Time on Two Crosses: The Collected Writings of Bayard Rustin [Book]
• I Must Resist: Bayard Rustin’s Life in Letters [Book]
• Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin [Film]
• Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin [book]
• “In Apprehension How Like a God!” [1948 William Penn Lecture, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting]

Books for Younger Readers

• Troublemaker for Justice: The Story of Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the March on Washington [children and teenagers]
• A Song for the Unsung: Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington [picture book]
• Unstoppable: How Bayard Rustin Organized the 1963 March on Washington [picture book]

About the Author

Walter Naegle was Bayard Rustin’s partner for the last decade of Rustin’s life. He worked and traveled extensively with him and co-authored, with Rustin and Charles Bloomstein, “South Africa: Is Peaceful Change Possible?,” a pamphlet published in 1984 by the New York Friends Group. He has served on the Executive Committee of the NY Metropolitan Region of the AFSC and was Executor of Mr. Rustin’s estate.

Updated by FGC Ministry on Racism Staff on December 09, 2025

Get Involved

FGC’s Ministry on Racism program continues to honor the legacy of Black Quakers like Bayard Rustin. Please email the Ministry on Racism team at alician@fgcquaker.org or shainar@fgcquaker.org to learn more or to get involved.