I'd like to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a tribute to one of his closest confidants, Bayard Rustin.
In 1937, at the age of 25, Bayard Rustin—an openly gay man—started training at the American Friends Service Committee. By 1963 he was one of the most important figures in African-American and glbt history.
Bayard Rustin was recruited by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington where King gave his famed "I Have A Dream" speech. Both King and Rustin saw an injustice in this country and the world and worked in peace to create change.
On this MLK Day, I think back to the contributions these great men made for me, my family, and this country; and the brevity of Mr. Rustin, who served with our greatest leader at a time when being an openly gay man was met with the same hostility as being a person of color.
The magnitude of injustices in the world can be overwhelming, and our individual contributions can often seem insignificant. But like us, Dr. King and Mr. Rustin had no special powers or abilities. They had dreams and an undying commitment to creating change. They then used their strengths of speech and mobilization toward a common cause, efforts that we will forever be greatful for.
More about Dr. King's colleague and friend Bayard Rustin after the jump.
More:
Notable Gay Men in History
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