A Song for the Unsung: Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington

Boston Weatherford and Sanders detail the often unsung contributions of Bayard Rustin (1912–1987) to the civil rights movement in this picture book biography, which alternates his life story with pivotal scenes leading up to the 1963 March on Washington. Raised by his Black Quaker grandmother, Rustin witnesses her activism at an early age, including her offer of hospitality (“Young Bayard gave up his bed when well-known NAACP members stayed overnight”); by college, “Bayard had developed firm beliefs and a mighty singing voice,” and begins fighting for equality through nonviolence. Subsequent spreads acknowledge Rustin as the organizer of the March on Washington, detail the prejudice he experienced as both a Black man and a gay man, and intersperse song titles linked to his actions (“Sing ‘Every Time I Feel the Spirit’ to keep the faith”). McCray’s mixed-media illustrations include decorative papers and printed ephemera, giving the story visual depth that aligns with the layered telling. Extensive back matter concludes. Ages 6–10. (Nov.)