Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library (SNMAL) in partnership with the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice are presenting the ‘Bayard Rustin at the Crossroads’ exhibit kicking off with an opening reception on November 14th at the Hester & Ross Galleries with the exhibit running until January 2nd. Robert Kesten, SNMAL President & CEO stated, “We need to remember those who fought for those inalienable rights decades ago as we harness the hope they had for the future. This exhibit will be a testament to that hope, while sharing the legacy of Bayard Rustin. Rustin left behind an example of courage, creativity & a pathway to the world we continue to hope for.” Rustin played a pivotal role in shaping the modern civil rights movement. He was instrumental in the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom, one of the largest political rallies in U.S. history where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. Inspired by his Quaker upbringing & work with pacifist organizations Rustin was deeply committed to nonviolent resistance even mentoring King & helping establish the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The exhibit delves into Rustin’s story & how he overcame adversity attacking multiple parts of his identity & the lessons we all should take from his experiences. Rustin was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2013 cementing his legacy as one of the most important & ignored figures in American history. In this exclusive podcast I talked to Walter Naegle, Bayard Rustin’s partner who accepted the award on his behalf.
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