Little Art Theatre

Documentary. 83 minutes. 2003

Watch the trailer!

You can watch the trailer for Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin on this page below.

Synopsis for Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin: Long before Martin Luther King, Jr. became a national figure, Bayard Rustin routinely put his body — and his life — on the line as a crusader for racial justice. Rustin's commitment to pacifism and his visionary advocacy of Gandhian nonviolence made him a pioneer in the 1940s, and captured King's imagination in the 1950s. In 1963, with more than 20 years of organizing experience behind him, Rustin brought his unique skills to the crowning glory of his civil rights career: his work organizing the historic March on Washington, the biggest protest America had ever witnessed. But Rustin was also seen as a political liability. He was openly gay during the fiercely homophobic era of the 40s and 50s; as a result, he was frequently shunned by the very civil rights movement he helped create. The compelling film Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin chronicles Rustin's complex life story, a tale of race, prejudice, and idealism at the heart of 20th century America. Though he had to overcome the stereotypes associated with being an illegitimate son, an African American, a gay man and a one-time member of the Communist Party, Rustin — the ultimate outsider — eventually became a public figure and respected political insider. He not only shaped civil rights movement strategy as a longtime advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr., but was known and respected by numerous U.S. Presidents and foreign leaders.

"Bayard Rustin was an extraordinary American who's been slighted in the historical record because he was gay," says filmmaker Nancy Kates. "We wanted not only to correct that record but also examine what Rustin's amazing life teaches us about issues of equity and the fight for social justice."

2012 marks the 100th anniversary of Bayard Rustin's birth, and the Brother Outsider team is working hard to bring Rustin's inspiring story to new audiences around the globe.

Since its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and its national broadcasts on PBS' P.O.V. series and on Logo/MTV, Brother Outsider has introduced millions of viewers around the world to the life and work of Bayard Rustin—a visionary strategist and activist who has been called "the unknown hero" of the civil rights movement. A disciple of Gandhi, a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr., and the architect of the 1963 March on Washington, Rustin dared to live as an openly gay man during the fiercely homophobic 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.

The recipient of more than 25 awards and honors, Brother Outsider has been shown at The United Nations, The Kennedy Center, and for members of Congress, as well as at hundreds of schools, community forums, labor gatherings, faith organizations, and film festivals; it is also being used widely in workplace diversity presentations at corporations, law firms, and other companies.

Admission is FREE.