This 1964 pamphlet by Bayard Rustin offers a firsthand account of his efforts to promote nonviolent resistance during the Harlem riots. Rustin describes organizing a group of volunteers who protected residents and dispersed crowds, emphasizing the moral and strategic importance of nonviolence amid social unrest.
The Harlem riots of 1964 erupted after the shooting of James Powell, a young Black man, by a white police officer, which sparked widespread outrage rooted in long-standing issues of racial injustice, poverty, and police brutality. Bayard Rustin played a vital role by organizing and leading a nonviolent group that protected residents and helped maintain order during the unrest. Despite facing hostility, Rustin remained committed to nonviolence, emphasizing that violence dehumanizes and undermines the struggle for justice, even as tensions and fear escalated throughout the community.
Rustin, Bayard. Non-violence and the Harlem Riots. Philadelphia: American Friends Service Committee, August 14, 1964. PDF pamphlet. Accessed September 5, 2025. https://afsc.org/sites/default/files/documents/1964%20Non-violence%20and%20the%20Harlem%20riots%20-%20Rustin.pdf.
