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Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin

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I was about 100 pages into the outstanding 2003 book Lost Prophet by John D'Emilo, and wanted to see what else was out there on the impressive MR. RUSTIN. When I stumbled upon BROTHER OUTSIDER on Amazon I new I had to pre-order it, and I'm so glad I did! I had heard of BAYARD RUSTIN before this wonderful documentary many years ago, yet I didn't know too much about this enigmatic figure; I did know many years back he was someone I did want to get aquainted with - much like Edward Carpenter. For me the political, spiritual, and sexual come together in a rich tapestry that is the soul of the amazing BAYARD RUSTIN. This man truely utilized his life, and by the time he took his last breath he left an impact of loving force and beauty that ripples around the Earth today. Its mind boggling to me how much better he left this planet than when he came into it. BROTHERHOOD OUTSIDER is a great first step in getting familiar with RUSTIN. The times he lived through and how he choose to live through them are nothing short of revolutionary. He is simply one of the most important people in the all the history of the civil rights movement. A teacher to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., an international apostle of peace, and the organizer of the famous 1963 March on Washington, he also brought Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence to the USA, and helped launch the civil rights movement. BAYARD was also an openly gay man which is why he's been extremely downplayed or "forgotten" from the history books. This man was fearless and he put himself in harms way for the greater good for many of us down the line. He was peacefully struggling for African American civil rights, not to mention dealing with all the extremely fierce homophobia of the 1940's, 1950's, and 1960's - NOT A JOY!!!. All else I can say is that I wish I could have known this man, and that I think he's a new Hero of mine!!! R.I.P. BAYARD RUSTIN - YOUR ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS !!!

"Brother Outsider" is a truly inspirational film highlighting the life of Bayard Rustin, one of the most important and influential Civil Rights activists. Rustin was not only African American in a time of segregation, but he was gay as well. However, this did not stop him from being who he was. He was interested in making people more tolerant through non-violent approaches. His bravery helped the Civil Rights movement to gain the great momentum that it finally developed.

Not only was Rustin a gay African American, but he also had a partner that was white, which made him stand out even more. While he was not always accepted, even by his fellow civil rights activists, he always kept his head up and believed in his choices and causes. Rustin wanted acceptance for everyone. His non-violent approach allowed him to work with the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. in trying to get equal rights for African Americans in the United States.

This film introduces us to Rustin through current interviews and archival footage that allow us to see just how unique he was as a person. One of the most interesting aspects of the film highlights Rustin's determination and unwillingness to give up. Adam Clayton Powell tried to hold Rustin's sexuality against him during the 1960 Democratic Convention. Powell threatened to spread rumors about Rustin's sexuality if the Civil Rights activists did not stop protesting. This threat got to Martin Luther King Jr., but did not scare Rustin. He continued on fighting for what he believed in.

This film is extremely educational and enjoyable as it highlights the life of someone who was extremely important in the Civil Rights Movement yet never got the credit that they deserved. I enjoyed this film a great deal.

"Brother Outsider" highlights the life of Bayard Rustin, an extremely influential African American male. Rustin was one of the great intellectual activists who was non-violent, gay and Quaker. Although he played a major role in the Civil Rights march, many people do not know much about him. Rustin was an extremely brave man who was not afraid to overcome social taboos. Not only was he gay in a time when nobody spoke about it, but he also had a white partner. He never tried to hide any details about his personal life and was open about being accepting towards everyone.

Bayard Rustin was an activist who believed only in non-violent movements. He was a conscientious objector during World War II and did his part in fighting against inequality once the war ended. While Rustin was not accepted by everyone -sometimes not even his fellow Civil Rights activists- he always worked his hardest to make contributions to the movement. His sense of humor and determination allowed him to stick out and be successful in what he did.

The archival material added to the overall success of this film as it allowed us to see Rustin in action. It really brought his conscious activism to the surface and conveyed what a truly amazing man Rustin was. All of the controversial topics in this film really kept me at the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next.

I must confess I had no idea who Bayard Rustin was when I encountered this documentary. Once it began, I was immediately fascinated by his person and his story. It's a shame that there are so many others like myself out there who still don't know who this man is. This is a wonderfully executed film and it should be compulsory viewing for ALL students in public schools, but especially for black and gay children. My first thought after I finished watching this film was "My God, if Bayard Rustin were alive today, we would already have gay rights. He would have won them for us" My second thought was "I must tell everyone about this film", and I have. I have given friends copies of it, and I have recommended it to all, even to strangers. My deepest thanks to the filmmakers for giving us this wonderful history lesson. I sincerely hope schools pick up on it and make it part of their history curriculum. There is too much ignorance in this country, and generations of black and gay children are growing up without real heroes to inspire them. How sad that they would look up to trash like Lady Gaga or some gangster rapper when there are men like Bayard Rustin they can admire and emulate. Oh, how we need a Bayard Rustin today!

You may think you know the whole story of the Civil Rights Movement, but if you don't know a lot about Bayard Rustin, you have a good bit to learn and this doco will help you do it. We were all stunned as the four of us watched. Amazing man. Incredible story. Triumphant and tragic. And those who made this doco did an A+ job! Not yet available on Netflix, but please order it from them, and put some pressure on. Then buy the film from Amazon and gift it to your public library or place of worship after your viewing. It's that good!