This 1985 interview with Bayard Rustin offers a sharp analysis of growing class divisions within Black America, highlighting the limits of civil rights victories in addressing deep economic inequality. Rustin critiques both government anti-poverty programs and symbolic racial progress, arguing that many reforms failed to deliver real material change. He ultimately calls for a shift toward large-scale economic investment and full employment as the true path to equality.
Assessing the New Presidency: The Prospect of Gerald Ford
In this column published in The St. Louis American, Bayard Rustin examines what Black Americans could expect from Gerald Ford’s new presidency, scrutinizing his record on civil rights, school desegregation, and economic policy. Rustin criticizes Ford’s opposition to busing and his broader conservative approach to issues including employment, housing, healthcare, and education, while noting a cautious hope that Ford’s stated desire to serve all Americans might create opportunities for greater engagement and progress.
