Dear Friend,

As we reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King’s historic contributions to the mission of justice and civil rights, we also remember the lesser-known heroes who helped him advance a dream of equality in the U.S. 

Bayard Rustin was essential to the civil rights movement. As a close adviser to Dr. King, he was critically important to the rights of black Americans. Long before it was widely accepted, Rustin was an out, gay civil rights leader fighting to end segregation and racial discrimination at all levels of life in the U.S.

He was key to organizing the 1963 March on Washington—at the time, the largest demonstration in U.S. history—which helped facilitate the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. In the 1980s, Rustin was also a dedicated advocate of LGBTQ causes and was involved with the International Rescue Committee.

Sadly, because of Rustin’s sexual orientation, he was largely kept behind the scenes, and his influence is absent from many history books. 
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Today, on this MLK Day, we invite you to celebrate the life of Bayard Rustin too. He is certainly one of our civil rights heroes!

In Solidarity,
Immigration Equality​​