This column finds Bayard Rustin examining the decline of Black Studies enrollment and the broader debate over educational equity. While recognizing the importance of teaching Black history, he argues that separate academic programs should not replace efforts to provide all students with rigorous educational opportunities and meaningful support. Rustin ultimately calls for greater investment in educational resources that address the lasting effects of inequality and expand pathways to professional success.
"The Rationalization of Neglect" Newspaper Column
This 1970 column finds Bayard Rustin critiquing the Nixon administration’s civil rights policies, arguing that the concept of “benign neglect” masked a retreat from meaningful commitments to racial equality. Focusing especially on education, Rustin contends that cuts to social programs and resistance to school integration undermined opportunities for Black communities. He ultimately defends desegregation and stronger federal investment as essential tools for achieving educational and economic progress.
