An unsung hero of the civil rights movement - Christina Greer
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In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington to nearly a quarter million people. None of it would have been possible without the march’s chief organizer – a man named Bayard Rustin. Christina Greer details his life of advocacy as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, and the challenges he faced as an openly gay Black man.
Bayard Rustin was strategist who brought together diverse groups and ideas in order to fight for a shared mission. He also organized people in positions of power as well as people who had never previously participated in any movement building politics. Do you think even more groups across the United States should have been involved during this time period? Should other racial and ethnic groups have joined Rustin’s efforts and been more vocal about the injustices that concerned him and countless others? Why do you think equality and civil rights struggles were not a priority for so many white Americans at the time? Since Black Americans and homosexuals are still not treated equally in this country, did Rustin succeed in his efforts? In your opinion, how can elected leaders, political parties, and everyday people work toward Rustin’s goals?
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Meet The Creators
- Educator Christina Greer
- Director Anton Bogaty
- Narrator Christina Greer
- Animator Anton Bogaty
- Music Bamm Bamm Wolfgang
- Sound Designer Bamm Bamm Wolfgang
- Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
- Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
- Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
- Associate Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
- Script Editor Alex Gendler
- Fact-Checker Eden Girma