Page 7 - Unsung Herores of Social Justice - Unsung Heroes

Rustin spoke at a
press conference
for the March on
next year. The act
Washington.
formally outlawed
discrimination based
on race or gender.

Rustin continued to work to advance
the rights of black people. Near the
end of his life, he came out publicly
as a gay man. He worked to raise
awareness of AIDS in the 1980s.
Rustin died in 1987. Fifty years after
the march, his contributions to civil

rights were recognized. In 2013, he
was awarded the Presidential Medal
prepared to use violence in their
of Freedom.
protests. Rustin convinced them
that their cause would be better
understood with peace.

The march turned out to be a 200,000
massive success. It was where Dr.
Approximate number of
Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his
protesters at the 1963
famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
March on Washington.
Because of the nonviolent approach,
there were only four arrests. The • Rustin was a civil rights
Civil Rights Act was passed the leader.
• His life as a gay man and
socialist made him stay
THINK ABOUT IT behind the scenes.
• Rustin is best
Rustin hid important details of
remembered for
his life so that people would take
organizing the 1963
him seriously. Do you think this March on Washington.
was the right thing to do? Why or • He worked later in life 27

why not? for gay rights.