During his 60-year career as an activist and organizer, Bayard Rustin formulated many of the strategies of the civil rights movement, and organized the seminal 1963 March on Washington. Yet he remains a somewhat unsung hero—in part because of his gayness and his democratic socialist politics.

In honor of the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, Black History Month, and the release of a Netflix film and several books on Rustin, SVA will be holding a screening of the seminal documentary on Rustin’s life and contributions to the movement and to American democracy, Brother Outsider (dirs. Bennett Singer and Nancy Kates, 2003).

After the screening, we’ll have a special panel discussion on Rustin and the movement with Walter Naegle, an artist and Rustin’s partner, and Velma and Norman Hill, two veteran civil rights and labor movement organizers, who were close to Rustin and have just recently published their own joint memoir, Climbing the Rough Side of the Mountain, on their time in the movement.

Co-sponsored by the SVA BFA Visual & Critical Studies, the SVA Honors Program , and SVA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

This event is free and open to the public.

Features