This is Bayard Rustin. He was the man responsible for organizing and strategizing the March on Washington in August 1963. He had so-called controversial ties to communism and was also a gay man and was considered too much of a liability to be in the front line of the movement. A lot of that is credited to Martin Luther King. Behind the scenes he was known as one of the most brilliant minds in the movement. Rustin broke from the Communist Party when it gave unwavering support to Joseph Stalin; but unlike many former so-called Communists who later flipped to so-called rightwing politics, Rustin remained a committed so-called socialist for the rest of his life. Socialism is rooted in the belief that in an economic system whatever industries that are owned by private businesses should be owned by the workers. Rustin was the man behind the “I Have A Dream” speech. However MLK did regret this speech. Reflecting upon it he feared he was integrating his people into a burning house. He felt that America was not being true to what America’s founding father’s wrote on paper. His perspective started to change. He was assassinated within 24 hours of making his last speech “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop”. Mr. Rustin’s involvement behind Martin’s change of heart is not nentioned nor is this last speech highlighted.
enemies too.