Telegram discussing the upcoming visit of Chilean Radical Party leaders Sule and Parra to Washington, D.C. While the U.S. Department of State declined to sponsor their visit, Bayard Rustin’s Social Democrats USA, along with the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee, agreed to sponsor the trip. These groups organized congressional appointments and a rally in New York City during the visit.
In the context of growing Cold War tensions and Chile’s political climate under Pinochet’s regime, Rustin’s involvement in sponsoring Chilean Radical Party leaders demonstrated his ongoing commitment to international solidarity, democratic socialism, and supporting progressive political movements globally. This instance highlights Rustin’s role in bridging U.S. civil rights and labor activism with broader global democratic struggles.
Citations (Chicago Style): U.S. Department of State, “Telegram: Bayard Rustin’s Social Democrats USA Co-Sponsor Chilean Radical Party Leaders’ Visit,” March 14, 1978, National Archives, accessed September 26, 2025, https://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=59921&dt=2694&dl=2009.
