A Song for the Unsung: Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington

This picture book is a history of a little-known man who helped make the 1963 March On Washington the event that it was. Bayard Rustin was a Black gay man who put his heart into peaceful protest. He had learned from Gandhi that peaceful protest was the only real way to get your voice heard, and to make things happen. He was successful and the March On Washington was a success. He’s a little-known player in this big event that I am happy now gets his own stage.

This story is about Bayard Rustin, what young and adult life as an African American in the 1900s was like, and how the Quaker faith background that his grandmother introduced him to affected the way he approached certain struggles and hardships. He was a peaceful protester seeking justice, peace, and nonviolence.

Great for Intermediate level classrooms. (3rd-5th)
Overall this book is very informational and nicely illustrated. The story is a heartfelt process that Bayard goes through at the time of the civil rights movements and how this all impacted different people and how they approached peace.