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Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin

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An exhaustive biography of the often overlooked archtect of the civil rights movement. An espouser of Gandhian non-violence and a mentor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Rustin was a man of fierce convictions, openly gay in a time when to be so jeopardized even his basic freedoms.

D'Emilio records Rustin's life warts and all. He documents his numerous arrests for acts of civil disobedience, for being a conscientious objector, as well as on a morals charge.

However, it is the triumphs that are most exhilerating to read about. The March on Washington, as one would expect, is a highlight. Finally, and definitively, the credit for coordinating this event is attributed to Rustin. In the face of extreme opposition from the likes of Strom Thurmond and J. Edgar Hoover, Rustin staged an event of epic porportion and historic significance.

Rustin was one of the great unsung heroes of the last century. John D'Emilio's biography, with a cast of characters that reads like a who's who of the twentieth century, is a tribute to Rustin and a model of its kind.

Rustin's story is a curious one -- how is it that a militant Quaker pacifist, a man who chose to go to prison during World War II, is found defending Lyndon Johnson's Presidency in 1968? The answer lies in the various tragedies of the '60's: the vestiges of the Cold War that shaped American policies; Johnson's ability to commit to progressive domestic policies but inability to shake free of the worst of the Cold War mentality; the triumphs and the tragic splintering of the American Civil Rights movement; and perhaps in Rustin's personal tragedy, that of a gay, black pacifist whose biggest political obstacle was not found in the radicalism of his ideas but in his attempt to live his personal life as a gay man.

D'Emilo appears to capture all those elements of Rustin, and suggests both how Rustin shaped those political movements in which he involved himself and how they served to shape him.

My students generally all are familiar with Dr. King's speech at the 1963 March on Washington. With few exceptions, however, they have never heard of the two men who planned the March: labor leader A.P. Randolph and Rustin. D'Emilo's book serves to remind us of just how much an injustice it is that Rustin's role in the Civil Rights movement has been so much forgotten.

A extraordinary account of an extraordinary life. "Lost Prophet" is an engrossing account of how Bayard Rustin became a master strategist for the civil rights movement, despite significant homophobia and a smear campaign by government agencies.

For anyone seeking to making a difference, this inspirational biography by John D'emilio is a "must-read." It will renew your commitment to justice and equality for all, regardless of the obstacles.

"Visionary." "Inspirational." "Controversial." "Black." "Gay." These are some of the many words used as description for Bayard Rustin in Lost Prophet: the Life and Times of Bayard Rustin by John D'Emilio. He was a nonviolent civil rights activist who firmly believed in the effectiveness of this approach and, despite all of the challenges he faced, was impervious to setbacks - though he had many of them. The author portrays Rustin as one of the unsung heroes of the twentieth century and as an instrumental player in promoting racial equality who is often forgotten and lost in the shuffle of history. This biography is a testament to all that he accomplished; trying in earnest to ensure that his name and impact is no longer overlooked.

Long before the civil rights movement gained momentum in the 1960's, Rustin was deeply involved in promoting equality through the means of non-violence. Raised a Quaker the ideals of pacifism were well embedded in his philosophies that it was only after joining forces with other pacifists, like A.J. Muste, that they together formed several successful organizations. Though his participation in these associations, like the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), was impressive it was his personal efforts that were most notable. In the 1942 while on a bus he decided to move to the white section; a decision that resulted in violence he refused to react to and imprisonment.

As an African-American, a homosexual, a former communist, conscientious objector, and pacifist the challenges he faced were many. Not only was he battling the stigmas of his race, he was also battling the stigma of his sexual orientation at a time when recognition of homosexuality was minimal. One event in which he was caught in the midst of a "lewd act" nearly derailed his lifetime of work and goals. Yet, as he continually did, he overcame that seemingly insurmountable obstacle and furthered his role in the civil rights movement. He forged a strong relationship with Martin Luther King, Jr. and taught him the tenants of a nonviolent movement. As a common acquaintance Glenn Smiley said, King "knew nothing" of Ghandian pacifism before Rustin. Though he witnessed the realization of many of his goals, Rustin believed that the fight was never over. As the fight for racial equality slowed down, Rustin recognized that the next big hurdle would be the struggle for gay rights.

D'Emilio's biography of this dynamic historical character is, without a better word to describe it, impressive. For a work of non-fiction, Lost Prophet, reads much like a novel. With simple prose and elegant descriptions, D'Emilio writes a thorough account without being daunting or arduous. He effectively contextualizes Rustin's movements from decade to decade with the appropriate political, economic, and social climate. Because of this we know, for example, that his flirtation with communism in the 1930's had less to do with Stalin's ideas and more to do with the belief that capitalism could not save the floundering American economy. D'Emilio researched Rustin's life so meticulously that one of my only criticisms is that, because he was too specific and detail oriented at times, my attention wavered slightly- though I would imagine that most people would not consider careful research to be a negative.

Finishing this biography of a man I had never heard of, yet who was clearly quite influential, leaves me curious about what else I do not know. Growing up, we are told of the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the movement he lead, yet little attention is paid to the behind the scenes efforts and the other people involved. Bayard Rustin is a shining example of how popular history can have a blind-spot. And because of this, I thank John D'Emilio for writing this informative biography and for teaching me some forgotten history about the Lost Prophet.

This biography is dedicated to the notion that Bayard Rustin deserves to be rememebered. John D'Emilio is persuasive in that regard. This is a scholarly work and it's well-written. The author does an excellent job of placing Rustin's life in context, showing where he fits in as a 20th century organizer and civil rights activist. It's a satisfying work.

I just finished reading this book for my class on The Civil Rights Movement. I have say this book was very good. It gave me much insight into how the movement was more complex than what I was taught in grade school. If you're one of the people like I was who thought Dr. King was the total force behind the movement, you must read this book. You will become far more educated on how much of an impact this man was not only to the Civl Rights Movement, but other endeavors as well. It is sad how easily Rustin has been tossed aside because of prejudice of all things. But this is why it is important to have books like this one that educates and informs.

Like many other people, I had not learned that 1963 March on Washington organizer Bayard Rustin was also homosexual. Because Rustin lived in a time when homosexuality was stigmatized (and march organizers had believed public recognition of his homosexuality was not 'respectable' Rustin had to keep this portion of his life hidden in order to have impact at this event.

Rustin complied with the now-unthinkable directive because social justice had always been a passion.

Rustin's Quaker upbringing influenced his passion for social justice. In college, he became an organizer for the Young Communist League; he later quit when they advocated World War II participation. Rustin's strong sense of morality would not allow him to enlist in World War II, he believed that a sentence in the federal prison system was the only moral option.

Rustin began freedom riding with the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) as early as the 1940's. Although these people were ahead of their time on many issues, they could not accept his sexuality. Rustin later found employment with the War Resisters League (which in that era at least stayed neutral on the issue) but the experience undoubtedly stayed with him.

Fortunately, Rustin was able to later come out in the 1970's. Until his death he was open about his identity as a gay man. Discrimination was the problem, not his sexuality.

Today, we continue to see inadvertent consequences from the earlier decision to minimize Rustin's identity as a gay man. The allegedly liberal mass media has largely persisted in portraying GLBT issues as universally white, and gave substantial airtime to Alveda King, a niece of the late Martin Luther King who denounces homosexuality.

The mass media tellingly elects to ignore the public GLBT rights support of Jesse Jackson and Coretta Scott King, who recognize there are many more blacks like Rustin. We cannot work towards the world he had envisioned without acknowlleging his whole self.

This book is a must read for anyone with the slightest interest in Civil Rights, Gay Rights, really Human Rights!! What a tremendous human being this man was. I found the book very well written and informative. What else can I say?

I went on a sabbatical in the mountains but couldn't put this book down. It's one of the best books I've ever read. Incredibly well written. Amazing life story. Inspiring beyond almost anything I've read from the period. Check out Two Crosses too for his speeches. It's a good supplement while reading the biography.

I would have loved to have known BAYARD RUSTIN and now count him as one of my personal heroes. LOST PROPHET: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF BAYARD RUSTIN by John D' Emilio a highly intelligent and well thought researched read. Other than the last 23 pages which gloss quickly over the last 18 years of RUSTIN'S life, this 500 page monumental tribute to this facinating man illuminates someone who needs to be brought back out of the shadows, as well as the often hideous unconscious mental attitudes of the last 100 years that African Americans (and others) have unfortunitely had to go through. History individally and collectively comes to life here, and we see that through MR. RUSTIN'S calling (not job!) how one person can make such a colossal positive difference in the many lives down the line for the collective whole. BAYARD RUSTIN brought Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence to America. He helped launch the civil rights movement and was the organizer of the famous 1963 March on Washington. He taught and was a huge influence on Dr. Martin Luther King; he was no less than an extraordinary apostle of peace. Why he's been mostly ignored or written out of history was because he was an openly gay African American man. RUSTIN was aparently always rather comfortable and unusually open about his sexuality for the era. Not common or easy in the subhuman 40's, 50's, and 60's. This combined with the times dispite his amazing skills, dedication, and charm often marginalized him - even by his so called friends of long standing. John D' EMilo's book is most engaging and I highly recommend it to the LGBT crowd, African Americans, Historians, and anyone with a 21st Century mind who likes facinating resurrected individuals. BAYARD RUSTIN was an amazing man and should be more well known today, and I thank the excellent author for bringing him back out of the shadows of the intensionally forgotten.