West Chester native Bayard Rustin was the chief architect of the 1963 March on Washington but his contributions were mostly tossed aside by history, writes Valerie Russ for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

The civil rights activist, labor organizer, socialist, and gay pacifist was finally recognized for his work half a century later when he was honored posthumously by President Barack Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on the march’s 50th anniversary. 

“For decades, this great leader, often at Dr. King’s side, was denied his rightful place in history because he was openly gay,” said Obama at the time. 

Ten years later, Rustin and his life and legacy are getting a wider spotlight. Earlier this week, a new book of essays was released titled Bayard Rustin: A Legacy of Protest and Politics. 

“We want to make sure he gets the respect and recognition he deserved,” said Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber, chief activist of the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice and one of the authors of the book. 

Meanwhile, a new movie, Rustin, starring Colman Domingo is set to be released in theaters on Nov. 3 and Netflix on Nov. 17. 

Read more about Bayard Rustin in the new movie and book in The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

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