A new young-adult book, Troublemaker for Justice: The Story of Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the March on Washington, aims to educate younger generations on the accomplishments of the influential civil rights leader from West Chester, writes Christopher Rogers for Kirkus Media.

Despite being chief organizer of the pivotal 1963 March on Washington, few people know Rustin’s name. In fact, after his decision to live openly as a gay black man, he was pushed behind the scenes. Decades later, he is receiving the recognition he deserved.

In 2013, Rustin was awarded a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. He praised Rustin’s “unshakable optimism, nerves of steel, and, most importantly, a faith that if the cause is just and people are organized, nothing can stand in our way.”

The medal was presented to his surviving life partner, Walter Naegle, who co-authored the new book with Jacqueline Houtman and Michael Long.

In addition to his work with Martin Luther King Jr., the book also captures Rustin’s efforts to protect property of Japanese Americans sent to internment camps during WWII, his pacifist legacy, and his work with African anti-colonial leaders.

Read more about Bayard Rustin at Kirkus Media here.