In this opinion piece published in The New York Times, Bayard Rustin critiques Black student protests at Harvard University over the institution’s investments in apartheid-era South Africa. While acknowledging the students’ opposition to apartheid, Rustin argues that meaningful change requires sustained political action and broad-based coalitions rather than campus divestment campaigns.
Clarifying Political Realignment: Rebuilding the Democratic Coalition and Opposing New Left Extremism
In this column published in The St. Louis American, Bayard Rustin clarifies his views on political realignment, arguing that the democratic left must engage the working class while opposing the disruptive tactics of the New Left. He warns that alienating working-class Americans could strengthen conservative forces and calls for a broader coalition united around economic justice and political stability.
