calling for a march on Washington to protest discrimination in
the armed forces and defense sector, in response to which
President Franklin Roosevelt preemptively issued an executive
order ending segregation in the defense industries; and
WHEREAS, During this period, Mr. Rustin also cofounded the
Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and participated in the CORE
Journey of Reconciliation, which tested Supreme Court rulings
barring segregation in interstate travel and later served as a
model for the Freedom Rides of 1961; and
WHEREAS, In 1953, Mr. Rustin was fired from FOR because he
was gay, which became one of many instances where he faced
discrimination on account of his sexual orientation; and
WHEREAS, In 1956, Mr. Rustin met with Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., to show his support for the Montgomery Bus Boycott and
advocate for the use of nonviolent tactics in protesting racial
injustices in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Rustin's influence was monumental in encouraging
Dr. King to accept pacifism as a way of life and was
instrumental in nonviolence becoming a cornerstone of the Civil
Rights Movement; and
WHEREAS, Dr. King worked closely with Mr. Rustin and leaned
on his brilliant strategies and organizational skills, which
were on full display when he served as chief organizer for the
1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom; and
WHEREAS, The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom became
a landmark event credited with facilitating passage of the 1964
Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the remainder of his life, Mr. Rustin
would go on to combat social injustice, including serving as a
champion for gay rights; and
20240HR0441PN3126 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30