2008 Woodie Awards
LGBTA donates to FHG
In honor of Bayard Rustin, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Alliance donated 262 books from its own library.
Sheena Ahlmer
Issue date: 1/25/05 Section: News
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The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Alliance donated 262 books from its personal library to the Francis Harvey Green Library on Thursday afternoon, dedicating it the Bayard Rustin collection after the openly gay civil-rights activist. Why Bayard Rustin?
"We?ve kind of taken him on as our hero in LGBTA," said Jackie Hodes, Coordinator of Events for LGBT students and staff and Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs.
"We decided to celebrate him so he could be known," Hodes said. "He did so many wonderful things for our society AND he was gay! These facts can cause cognitive dissonance for those who are homophobic, racist, et cetera."
Along with being a civil rights activist in the 1950s and 60s, Rustin was a pacifist and openly homosexual. Quoting Rustin, Dick Swain, Director of Library Services said, "We need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers."
Rustin worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. and A. Phillip Randolph in laying foundations in the civil rights movement. Rustin even was an advisor to King in organizing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Most notably, Rustin, or "Mr. March" as he was nicknamed by Randolph, was the chief organizer for the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Under Rustin?s encouragement, Randolph called for the march, which turned into Dr. King?s "I Have a Dream" speech.
Rustin wasn?t without opposition. In July 1963, Strom Thurmond denounced on the floor of the US Senate the upcoming March on Washington based on Rustin?s homosexuality. Martin Luther King, a Baptist minister, defended Rustin.
Rustin is a prominent individual to the Borough. Rustin was born in West Chester in 1912 where he lived until he moved to New York in his late teen years.
Construction began in 2003 on a new West Chester area school, which will be named Bayard Rustin High School.
"We want to honor him and acknowledge the gift students are making," said Chrissy Bushyager, graduate assistant for LGBT services. LGBT Services also offers a Bayard Rustin book scholarship to LGBT students.
"We?ve kind of taken him on as our hero in LGBTA," said Jackie Hodes, Coordinator of Events for LGBT students and staff and Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs.
"We decided to celebrate him so he could be known," Hodes said. "He did so many wonderful things for our society AND he was gay! These facts can cause cognitive dissonance for those who are homophobic, racist, et cetera."
Along with being a civil rights activist in the 1950s and 60s, Rustin was a pacifist and openly homosexual. Quoting Rustin, Dick Swain, Director of Library Services said, "We need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers."
Rustin worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. and A. Phillip Randolph in laying foundations in the civil rights movement. Rustin even was an advisor to King in organizing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Most notably, Rustin, or "Mr. March" as he was nicknamed by Randolph, was the chief organizer for the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Under Rustin?s encouragement, Randolph called for the march, which turned into Dr. King?s "I Have a Dream" speech.
Rustin wasn?t without opposition. In July 1963, Strom Thurmond denounced on the floor of the US Senate the upcoming March on Washington based on Rustin?s homosexuality. Martin Luther King, a Baptist minister, defended Rustin.
Rustin is a prominent individual to the Borough. Rustin was born in West Chester in 1912 where he lived until he moved to New York in his late teen years.
Construction began in 2003 on a new West Chester area school, which will be named Bayard Rustin High School.
"We want to honor him and acknowledge the gift students are making," said Chrissy Bushyager, graduate assistant for LGBT services. LGBT Services also offers a Bayard Rustin book scholarship to LGBT students.
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