Time on Two Crosses: The Collected Writings of Bayard Rustin [Paperback]

Bayard Rustin (Author), Devon W. Carbado (Author), Donald Weise (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 10, 2003

Bayard Rustin (1912–1987), the famed openly gay African American organizer, taught Martin Luther King Jr. strategies of nonviolence during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, thereby launching the birth of the civil rights movement in 1955. Widely acclaimed as a founding father of modern black protest, in 1963 Rustin reached his pinnacle of notoriety as organizer of the March on Washington. His open homosexuality, however, remained a point of contention among black church leaders, with controversy sometimes embroiling even King himself. Time on Two Crosses showcases the extraordinary career of this black gay civil rights pioneer. Spanning five decades, the book combines classic texts ranging in topic from Gandhi’s impact on African Americans, white supremacists in Congress, the antiwar movement, and the assassination of Malcolm X. Historical black-and-white photographs are included in this insider's account of the civil rights movement.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'Time on Two Crosses' is…a profound portrait of this neglected yet essential American patriot." -- New York Newsday, August 3, 2003

"A magnificent contribution to public understanding of a major but neglected figure of the civil rights movement." -- Randall Kennedy, author, Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word

"Americans are finally able to see Rustin as he was...and see, as well, the monumental scale of his achievement." -- New York Times, August 23, 2003

"Rustin's words reach out to anyone who has bemoaned the gay rights movement's insulation from broader efforts for social justice." -- The Advocate, September 2, 2003

"There's never been a better time to read what Rustin has to say...His words are filled with thought-provoking wisdom." -- John D’Emilio, author, Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin

"This is a diverse and invaluable collection of writing from one of the 20th century's most important human rights champions." -- The Gay & Lesbian Review/Worldwide, January/February 2004

About the Author

Devon Carbado is Professor of Law and African American Studies at the University of California-Los Angeles. He is coeditor of Black Like Us: A Century of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual African American Fiction (Cleis), winner of the 2003 Lambda Literary Award and the Independent Publisher Award, and editor of Black Men on Race, Gender, and Sexuality: A Critical Reader (New York UP). Donald Weise is coeditor of Black Like Us: A Century of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual African American Fiction, as well as The Huey P. Newton Reader (Seven Stories). He is also editor of Gore Vidal’s Los Angeles Times bestseller Gore Vidal: Sexually Speaking—Collected Sex Writings (Cleis).

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Cleis Press; 1 edition (July 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573441740
• ISBN-13: 978-1573441742
• Product Dimensions: 0.9 x 5.9 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #527,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The gay brotha speaks! August 12, 2003

By Jeffery Mingo

Format:Paperback

The person who organized the 1963 March on Washington for Civil Rights was a black gay man! Two eminent scholars, Carbado and Weise, who have done much to open space for black gay studies continue that tradition by compiling some of Bayard Rustin's most famous speeches. The book starts with a well-done biography of the leader. The next sections are speeches on a range of issues which show how thoroughly ahead of his time this brotha was.

Near the end of their biography section, the editors admit that much work has come out recently to highlight Rustin (two biographies, a documentary, etc.) Their contribution is that readers finally get to see what Rustin was thinking verbatim. Due to homophobia and Far Right domination, Rustin was often silenced and marginalized. However, he was a feisty figure who also wasn't afraid to butt heads with top dogs. Similarly, his ideas will both impress and disgust readers. This was one opinionated brotha! Still, I love the way this collection disproves many myths: that gay black men don't care about civil rights, that only heterosexuals made black civil rights happen, that James Baldwin was the only black gay man who can be recognized in the struggle, etc. Moreover, Rustin was on the forefront of issue far beyond just his race and sexuality. He spoke of feminism, international affairs, pacifism, labor rights, etc. In a way, it's almost limiting that the editors bring up only "two crosses" in the title of this book. Just like Frida Kahlo, Bayard Rustin juggled many balls and now modern readers get a chance to witness how excellently he did it. I think all progressives, regardless of their race or sexual orientation, will be blown away by this black, gay hero.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Important History February 24, 2006

By Thomas Ross

Format:Paperback

The editors, Devon Carbado and Donald Weise, have done the important work of bringing to us the writings of the central, but neglected, civil rights- and human rights- activist, Bayard Rustin. Their well-written Introduction does a superb job of properly placing Rustin within his times and sharing the story of this complex and important historical figure. The Rustin writings relating to his life as a gay man in America in the middle part of the 20th century are often as insightful as Rustin's writings on the movement. An important work.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ghandi in America December 31, 2008

By Author

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

If the meek shall inherit, than Bayard Rustin must be a very rich man. Not that the man was personally meek, but his circumstances were. He was a gay black man who was marginalized by the Civil Rights movement he helped found but not embittered by the experience. His thoughtful writing ennobles us all by reading it, especially at this time as we make history by electing our first Black president. I wish Rustin were here to see it. In his thoughtful collection Rustin never fails to come down on the proper side of a moral or ethical question, no matter whom it may offend or support. Bayard Rustin felt that his homosexuality, which he never hid, put him in a unique position. Placed in a minority at the bottom of every other minority, Rustin was engaged in the eradication of prejudice while suffering it himself. His gentle words place no blame, instead he understands. A true hero for the ages. Bayard Rustin. Five stars. Great read.