Rustin Parent Guide

The largest demonstration in American history, 1963’s March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, is perhaps best known for Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. The massive public support demonstrated by 250,000 participants contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

What has been forgotten over the past few decades is that King was not alone in planning the march; in fact, the driving force behind it was his old friend, Bayard Rustin. Born to a Black, Quaker family, Rustin grew up devoted to pacifism, justice, and civil rights. Controversy swirled around Rustin throughout his life, not only for his dedication to non-violence (which extended to a prison sentence for being a conscientious objector), but also due to a brief stint as a Communist, and because of his homosexuality.

Given Bayard Rustin’s massive contributions to the fight for racial equality, this moviecould easily have been a miniseries, but director George C. Wolfe carefully selected episodes from Rustin’s life to illuminate his personal story. The film opens in 1960, when Rustin is working with Martin Luther King Jr. to plan a protest at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles. When MLK betrays his friend, Rustin leaves the movement.

Rustin soon discovers that he can’t leave the fight for racial equality behind. When President Kennedy announces forthcoming civil rights legislation in 1963, Rustin is convinced that high levels of public pressure are necessary to prevent the bill from being watered down. He wants to organize a demonstration by 100,000 people, but to do so, he’s going to need to bury the hatchet with King – and make sure his personal life stays out of the spotlight.

There are few things I like more than a good history film and Rustin hits the mark. Colman Domingo’s performance as the titular protagonist is immersive and authentic, bringing viewers into his life and his fight for justice. Although it’s focused on Rustin, the film also has a large cast of secondary characters (real and fictional) who illuminate both Rustin’s personality and the times in which they live.

If you’re considering watching this movie with teens, you will want to be aware of the negative content, specifically disturbing racial violence (with some bloody injuries), racial and homophobic slurs, alcohol consumption and a single scene of marijuana use. There is also a brief, dimly lit gay sexual encounter involving a married man, without explicit nudity.

Alongside the PG-13 rated content, this film provides strong positive messages about human dignity, self-respect, courage, loyalty, forgiveness, persistence, and racial equality. Bayard’s commitment to non-violence is admirable, and he says “If we desire a society of peace, then we cannot achieve such a society through violence”. This is a powerful film, and one that left me choked up at the conclusion. As our times feel increasingly dark and divided, perhaps we can learn something from Bayard Rustin about living the change we seek.