*Please note: The exact date of this photograph is unknown.
Rustin kneels beside a group of young children, some barefoot and holding sticks, in a temporary outdoor encampment in El Salvador in 1983. The scene is raw and candid, capturing the innocence and vulnerability of children forced from their homes by violence and turmoil, while highlighting Rustin’s presence as a witness and advocate for humanitarian aid.
In 1983, Rustin traveled to El Salvador as an international human rights observer and humanitarian advocate, responding to the devastating civil war that uprooted thousands of families. Acting through organizations such as the International Rescue Committee and Freedom House, Rustin undertook fact-finding missions—often immersing himself in refugee camps and settlements to hear stories directly from survivors. His visit aimed not just to publicize the crisis but to build global pressure for humanitarian aid, protection of refugees, and peaceful resolution of conflict. Rustin’s work in El Salvador demonstrated his belief in extending the fight for justice and nonviolence from the civil rights movement in the U.S. to some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.
Advocate.com Editors. 2023. “Bayard Rustin’s Life and Civil Rights Legacy in Photos.” Advocate.Com, November 17, 2023. https://www.advocate.com/slideshow/2019/1/21/bayard-rustins-life-and-civil-rights-legacy-photos#rebelltitem3.
