We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin [Hardcover]

Larry Dane Brimner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2007 | Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up

Bayard Rustin was a man with purpose - and a man with heart. His was a life dedicated to helping others - fighting injustices and discriminations - so that people could live as one. Bayard learned these principles at an early age from his family, primarily his grandmother and grandfather. Protesting segregation long before there was a civil rights movement, he often was arrested for his beliefs and actions. But he knew things had to change. And help change them he did. As a nonviolent activist, Bayard made his mark working alongside many African American leaders, notably A. Philip Randolph and Martin Luther King, Jr. As an organizer, Bayard was largely responsible for bringing people together to walk for freedom and jobs in Washington, D.C., on that memorable summer day, August 28, 1963. With style and careful attention to history, Larry Dane Brimner captures a story of passion, courage, and triumph through Bayard's own words and archival photographs - and through spirituals and protest songs that Bayard often sang. The unforgettable story of Bayard Rustin has something to teach all of us about the power of perseverance and the individual to bring about change.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Brimner sets Rustin's personal story against the history of segregation in his time and focuses on his leadership role, largely unacknowledged, in the struggle for civil rights. On each page, the clearly written, informal text is accompanied by eloquently captioned archival photos that include disturbing images of racist violence, as well as stirring pictures of Rustin "in protest mode," passing out antiwar leaflets, advising Dr. Martin Luther King on peaceful protest, organizing the triumphant 1963 March on Washington, and more. A big part of Brimner's book is the great leader's work behind the scenes and the possible reasons why he has not received the attention he deserves—brief membership in Communist party and his imprisonment for peace activism in World War II. Rustin's gay identity gets only passing mention in a final author's note. Source notes and a bibliography will guide readers to more about the man and to his writings. Rochman, Hazel

Review

* This is a captivating biography of the man who has been called the ''intellectual engineer'' of the Civil Rights Movement. The book begins and ends with the March on Washington, August 28, 1963, which Rustin organized. His mentor was A. Philip Randolph and he was a lifelong adviser to Martin Luther King, Jr. Rustin was a complex, multitalented man - he was a musician, an intellectual, an organizer, and a war objector who chose to go to prison rather than serve in World War II. He was a controversial figure partly because he was at one time a Communist and he was homosexual (the latter mentioned only in an author's note). Brimner keeps the focus on Rustin's work for social justice, including his being beaten and taken to the police station in 1942 for sitting at the front of a bus; his early restaurant sit-ins; and his Journey of Reconciliation, which was a precursor to the Freedom Rides. The author's writing is lively and clear, and he adeptly places Rustin in the larger context of the Jim Crow era and the Civil Rights Movement. The attractive design, with large, clear, black-and-white photographs and plenty of white space, enhances the readability of the text. Red and blue bars emphasize important quotations, lyrics to spirituals, and some photo captions. A gem for students studying the Civil Rights Movement and an excellent addition to any American history collection. --School Library Journal, Starred Review

"... An effective mix of major historical events and small, telling anecdotes, along with the attractive photo-essay format, make this a fascinating volume, informative and well written. An excellent author's note matter-of-factly discusses Rustin's homosexuality, his early involvement with the Young Communist League and his pacifism and imprisonment during World War II, factors that made him controversial and a potential liability to the movement...an excellent addition to that growing body of literature about the Civil Rights movement." --Kirkus Reviews

"Bayard Rustin's role is too often left out of young people's history books. He worked most often behind the scenes, finding practical and non-violent solutions, serving as an adviser. He was protesting bus and lunch-counter segregation long before better-known figures. Larry Dane Brimner brings to readers in stirring fashion Rustin's lifelong consistent commitment to Gandhi's non-violence." --Chicago Tribune

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590784987
• ISBN-13: 978-1590784983
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 11.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #764,821 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #83 in Books > Children's Books > Biographies > Social Activists

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WE ARE ONE: The Story of Bayard Rustin, June 9, 2008

By 

W. Howell (Whidbey Island, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin (Hardcover)

Wow! Powerful! In a sea of books about the civil rights movement, this dynamic biography steers a refreshing course. While driven with clear purpose and passion, Brimner presents the story of Bayard Rustin with a lack of bias and moralizing. He allows Rustin's life and convictions to speak for themselves. Many of us have forgotten about this early founding brother of the civil rights movement. We will not forget him now. Before Rosa Parks made news with her refusal to give up her seat on the bus, Bayard Rustin was arrested for claiming the right his seat on a bus. Before Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, Rustin was planning the details of the 1963 march on Washington, DC. Rustin was an athlete, a musician and an actor. Most of all, Bayard Rustin was an individual who stood up against injustice. The text of WE ARE ONE is very readable and is complemented by appealing graphics and historical photographs. I found this book to be enlightening and inspiring. I believe that it will be affirming to audiences of all ages and races.