Rustin and Randolph are present at the culmination of the Selma to Montgomery Marches, joining fellow movement leaders and supporters on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol to bear witness to speeches demanding full voting rights for African Americans. Their participation at this moment signified solidarity, strategic leadership, and the unwavering commitment required to challenge entrenched oppression in the Deep South.
LIFE Magazine Cover: Bayard Rustin and A. Philip Randolph at the Lincoln Memorial, March on Washington 1963
A. Philip Randolph’s Statement in Defense of Bayard Rustin
A. Philip Randolph issues a public statement affirming his “complete confidence” in Bayard Rustin’s “character, integrity, and extraordinary ability,” highlighting Rustin’s role organizing three Marches on Washington and the 1947 Journey of Reconciliation, and condemning attacks—such as those by Senator Strom Thurmond—that sought to remove Rustin from leadership.
In the tense summer of 1963, pro-segregation opponents, led by Senator Thurmond, launched a smear campaign against Rustin—citing a past arrest—to undermine his pivotal role in planning the upcoming March on Washington. Randolph’s blunt refusal to cower to “undemocratic elements” underscored the Movement’s determination to defend its organizers against moralistic political attacks and maintain unity ahead of the historic demonstration
Randolph, A. Philip. “Statement by A. Philip Randolph on Bayard Rustin.” August 12, 1963. Bayard Rustin.
