Bayard Rustin. - PHOTO: Wikipedia
The life and work of openly gay civil rights pioneer Bayard Rustin will be celebrated at Reviving the Dream March 22 at the Harley Museum in Milwaukee.
Rustin, who would have turned 101 years old this month, was perhaps best known as the man who taught the principles of non-violent resistance to Martin Luther King Jr. and who organized the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.
The event presented by Diverse & Resilient will celebrate Rustin as it honors the work of Denise Crumble, who will receive the first Bayard Rustin Leadership Award in recognition of her "decades of indefatigable work to protect and advance social justice."
Crumble works for the Milwaukee Health Department and was formerly with the Center for AIDS Intervention Research. Most recently she volunteered to interview dozens of African-American heterosexual people to learn about their beliefs about gay and bisexual men, in hopes of moving Milwaukee to greater levels of respect and acceptance, said a D&R news release.
The event also will feature John D’Emilio, biographer and author of "Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin," who will talk about Rustin’s leadership and how he brought the theories of civil resistance learned from Mahatma Gandhi to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Eight other annual community awards will be given to youth and adults from Eau Claire to Milwaukee, from Green Bay to Madison.
Each year, Diverse & Resilient solicits award nominations in six or more categories. This year there were more than 40 nominations for excellent service and leadership by LGBT youth and adults, community programs and community allies.
The event takes place at the Harley Museum with sponsorship from the Cream City Foundation, Eastmore Real Estate, The Brico Fund, Harley-Davidson Foundation, United Way of Greater Milwaukee, AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, Brewers Community Fund, Chris Doerfler and Associates, Fair Wisconsin, Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Reilly Penner and Benton LLP, Wisconsin Gazette and the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee.
Tickets at $100 per person, community and corporate tables and sponsorship opportunities are available at www.diverseandresilient.org/give or by calling 414-390-0444.
