This powerful and triumphant picture book biography tells the story of how openly gay civil rights leader Bayard Rustin defied prejudice as he planned and organized the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
*An ALA Rainbow List Selection
*WINNER, Best Illustrations - Black Kidlit Awards
*Bank Street College's Best Books of the Year List 2024
*"A civil rights luminary finally gets his due. The prose works in perfect harmony with Jackson's warmly colored, stunning illustrations, which present Rustin as a gifted, passionate visionary whose talents helped turn the march from a dream into an unprecedented success. This work's greatest contribution is its unflinching honesty in demonstrating the backlash Rustin faced for being gay, both from White America and his own Black colleagues within the movement, who felt that his sexuality would detract from its success. A joyful tribute to the work of an important American hero." Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
* "The 1963 March on Washington and Martin Luther King's iconic 'I Have a Dream' speech would never have happened if not for Bayard Rustin, the individual behind the conception, organization, and management of the event. [This] picture book thoughtfully addresses basic human rights and introduces young readers to an important behind-the-scenes hero." - Booklist, Starred Review
"Incredible." TEACH Magazine
"This beautifully illustrated book makes it clear that peaceful change is possible. I am grateful Bayard's life continues to inspire young people to work for change and to build the beloved community." Walter Naegle, Partner of Bayard Rustin
Bayard Rustin was a troublemaker. He spent his life disrupting racism and prejudice with nonviolent direct action. He organized protests against war, nuclear weapons, racial segregation and discrimination. He was a friend and mentor to Martin Luther King Jr., and he was unapologetically gay and Black.
When Bayard and his mentor, A. Philip Randolph, set out to organize the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Bayard was targeted by those who wished to see the movement fail. But Bayard Rustin would not be stopped. With the support of Dr. King and future congressman John Lewis, Bayard organized the largest protest in civil rights history.
This stunning picture book ,written by Rustin scholar Michael G. Long and illustrated by the New York Times bestselling artist Bea Jackson, tells the incredible story of how Bayard Rustin led over 250,000 people to the doorstep of the United States government demanding change.
Industry Reviews
A civil rights luminary finally gets his due.
The March on Washington is most widely remembered for Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech, but the event and its impact were a dream built by many whose names are criminally undercelebrated. This vital book broadens the narrative by introducing readers to Bayard Rustin, whose contributions to its success are sometimes downplayed or obscured. From the opening line of the book, Long's narrative lovingly presents Rustin's history of good troublemaking, starting with his first arrest for sitting in the White section of a movie theater in his hometown of West Chester, Pennsylvania, to the influence of his mentor, A. Philip Randolph, who, with Rustin, came up with the idea for the 1963 March on Washington. The prose works in perfect harmony with Jackson's warmly colored, stunning illustrations, which present Rustin as a gifted, passionate visionary whose talents helped turn the march from a dream into an unprecedented success. This work's greatest contribution is its unflinching honesty in demonstrating the backlash Rustin faced for being gay, both from White America and his own Black colleagues within the movement, who felt that his sexuality would detract from its success.
A joyful tribute to the work of an important American hero. (author's note, information on Long's research) (Picture-book biography. 6-9)-- "Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW"
