Bayard Rustin

On this day of remembering the birth of a man who beget the Civil Rights’ Movement, State of the Re:Union would like to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the man who helped his “I Have a Dream” speech come to fruition.

Source: newsone.com

It was Bayard Rustin who urged Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to use a peaceful and non-violent approach when disseminating messages of equality and freedom. That was what made the world-renowned speech so impactful — it made the rest of the United States take note. Today, we celebrate the day that freedom for all began its ascent into the culture of America, and just as the great Doctor King, Jr., we revere the notion of peace and recognize it as a necessity in overcoming adversity.

To find out more on the relationship between Bayard Rustin, MLK, and the Civil Right’s Movement, listen on the player below or click here to visit our episode page and find out how one man’s beliefs unfolded into freedom for all.

Our episode, originally produced in 2010, spans from early in life when he counseled MLK, Jr. on the non-violent resistance that would shape his movement to late in life when Rustin falls in love and champions a new cause.

When you have listened to your hearts content, use the box to tell us what this celebration means for you.

In the third installment of 2011 Auld Lang Syne and the Fab Five, we hear from the SOTRU Godfathers themselves: Al Letson, our sagacious host with the most (had to say it) and purveyor of America’s stories, and Ian DeSousa, the other side of SOTRU’s soul. In addition to their top five 2011 SOTRU episodes, we are also sharing an audience favorite of this season and what makes it endearing.

The Sacramento Episode

The Fab Five of the voice and face of SOTRU who delivers stories that make you crave more are:

Sacramento
Las Vegas
Birmingham
The Bronx

And, although Al’s last pick is from 2010, it is an incredibly fantastic award-winning episode that should go on your  to-do list before 2011 gets here. Check it out:
BAYARD RUSTIN

Mississippi Gulf Coast Episode

The top five picks of SOTRU’s co-creator and chief commander of all things awesome, Ian DeSousa:

Las Vegas
Birmingham
Mississippi Gulf Coast
Oakland
Wyoming

SOTRU listener Deirdre Kennedy shares her thoughts on her favorite episode:        ”Thank you, SOTRU, for your thoughtful and well-produced story on Sacramento. It was truly inspiring, both as a piece of journalism and as a reminder to find a way to help others in the community. Plus, I love Al’s narration.”

As we go into 2012, SOTRU is preparing for another awesome year of magnifcent and memorable encounters filled with intriguing people, communities and issues. So, we hope that you enjoy a very safe and interesting New Year! And thank you for helping us remember the moments of 2011 that have made positive  impacts and promising changes for our communitites.

We were so proud to recently learn that we were awarded first place in the Excellence in Radio category from the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association for the Black History Month special we did about Bayard Rustin, titled Bayard Rustin – Who Is This Man? It is a true honor to have had the chance to work with so many people that worked with Bayard and that have written about him and even taught his doctrine of non-violent resistance that forever changed Martin Luther King Jr.’s approach to the Civil Rights struggle. Bayard spoke his mind and stuck to his convictions no matter what the consequences were. He was also openly gay in a time where that was met with an excruciating amount of disdain. Black, gay, Quaker . . . a number of seemingly incompatible labels that served to earn him as many detractors as admirers.

Listen to the radio episode and be sure to check out our other collateral for the episode including a video podcast from SOTRU host, Al Letson, a slideshow that features incredible Rustin pictures and an audio podcast about the music of Bayard Rustin. We are certain that this is the type of episode you will want to share with your friends whether it’s Black History Month or not. SOTRU would love to hear from you with your thoughts about the Rustin episode and the award from the NLGJA.

State of the Re:Union is excited to announce that our Black History Month special, “Bayard Rustin – Who Is This Man?” will be airing on public radio stations across the country during January, February and March.

August 28^th, 1963 will forever be tied to Martin Luther King Jr.’s hallowed “I Have a Dream Speech.” This historic moment would probably have never come to fruition if it weren’t for a man standing in King’s shadow, Mr. Bayard Rustin. (more…)

State of the Re:Union’s submission for the NLGJA Awards.

Click on “The Entire Radio Episode” to stream the show.

Bayard Rustin submission for NLGJA Awards

From the moment I heard the music and poetry of Blair, I was in love with it and believed in it.  He weaves spoken word poetry, with folk rock, trip-hop and punk. On his MySpace page, he writes, “My dad looked like Chuck Berry, played like Hank Williams. My mom cleaned white folk’s houses. She raised five children. On her own. I inherited all sorts of ghosts from both of them. Sometimes I can fly.” (more…)