In this two-part oral history, Bayard Rustin reflects on the inner workings of the civil rights movement and offers candid assessments of leaders from John F. Kennedy to Lyndon B. Johnson. He argues that the movement’s long-term success depended on shifting from moral protest to strategic political maneuvering—using legislative power, coalition building, and negotiation to secure lasting change.
Navigating Power: Sterling Tucker’s Reflections on the Movement and Rustin’s Transition
In this oral history, Sterling Tucker reflects on internal tensions within civil rights leadership, including the split between Bayard Rustin and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during planning for the Solidarity Day March 1968. He also highlights Rustin’s strategic shift from protest to political power, arguing that lasting change required moving from demonstrations in the streets to legislation, funding, and the ballot box.
