{"id":39963,"date":"2023-11-17T15:23:14","date_gmt":"2023-11-17T14:23:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1927982"},"modified":"2023-11-17T19:25:40","modified_gmt":"2023-11-17T18:25:40","slug":"rustin-true-story-who-was-bayard-rustin","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/rustin-true-story-who-was-bayard-rustin\/","title":{"rendered":"Rustin true story: Who was Bayard Rustin?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Colman Domingo stars as the Civil Rights activist in the new Netflix film \u2013 here’s the true story. <\/p>

By Patrick Cremona\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 17 November 2023 at 14:23 PM<\/p>

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Following a brief theatrical run, the biographical film Rustin is now available to watch on Netflix.<\/p>\n

The film is directed by Ma Rainey\u2019s Black Bottom\u2019s George C Wolfe and stars Oscar-tipped Colman Domingo as civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who was an advisor to Martin Luther King Jr and helped organise the 1963 March on Washington.<\/p>\n

Due to his sexuality \u2013 he was openly gay \u2013 Rustin was all but erased from the Civil Rights movement, and so the new film tells his story with the aim of finally giving him the credit he deserves.<\/p>\n

Read on for more information on the true story behind Rustin.<\/p>\n

Rustin true story: Who was Bayard Rustin?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Bayard\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Bayard Rustin pointing to a map.<\/span><\/figcaption> Getty<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Martin Luther King\u2019s \u2018I Have a Dream\u2019 speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963 is undoubtedly one of the most famous pieces of oratory in American history \u2013 but it might not have been possible if it wasn\u2019t for Bayard Rustin.<\/p>\n

As is shown in the film, Rustin was one of the chief organisers of the march and played a crucial role in ensuring it went ahead despite opposition from various quarters.<\/p>\n

He had a long history in Civil Rights activism: he originally founded the March on Washington Movement with A. Philip Randolph in 1941 before he began advising Martin Luther King in the mid-50s, playing an instrumental role in his adoption of non-violent protest and later setting up the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) with him.<\/p>\n

Rustin left his position at the SCLC after a planned civil rights march during the 1960 Democratic National Convention was called off, partly due to threats made by US Representative Adam Clayton Powell Jr (who said he would leak fake rumours of an affair between Rustin and King).<\/p>\n

But just a couple of years later the two men were working together on a new project \u2013\u00a0The March on Washington \u2013 after Rustin was recruited by his old ally Randolph.<\/p>\n

Although it is now widely recognised as a major moment in history, not everyone involved in the Civil Rights movement was immediately receptive to Rustin\u2019s involvement in the march and he was removed from his original post as director.<\/p>\n