Who is Bayard Rustin, the gay activist who organized the famous March on Washington and whose story was taken by the Obamas to the movies? News from Mexico

The premiere of the Netflix film about Bayard Rustin will certainly make more than one of the platform’s subscribers wonder: Who is he?

This is exactly the reason for the tape. Rustin tells the story of a man who played a pivotal role in American history, but whose contribution was overlooked.

Rustin was a key figure in the civil rights movement and was one of the organizers of the 1963 March on Washington, at which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

While King’s speech and name have made history, Rustin has not. The reason, in large part, is that The activist was openly gayA controversial position at the time that led to him being beaten and arrested.

The film was produced by former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, and its hero, Colman Domingo, appears in swimming pools before the Oscar nominations, which will be announced next January.

Unusually, the press launch will take place after the film’s release, not before. This is because Hollywood has just returned to work after the recent actors and screenwriter strike, so there is a delay in promotional work.

“Making and creating it was amazing.“But now that we’re here, it’s really nice, because I feel like films need to be amplified,” Domingo told BBC News as he reflected on the strike.

“I love this part and I’m so happy we can do this now,” he added.

Rediscovering a forgotten great

The actor made a stop in London to promote not just one, but two films. The night before the BBC interview, he attended the UK premiere of “The Color Purple,” the new film adaptation of the novel of the same name in which he stars alongside singer Fantasia Barrino.

“You were there? And you’re not afraid of me?” He said jokingly, referring to the obnoxious and terrifying character (Albert) that he plays in his other movie.

However, in Rustin, the main character is likable, enthusiastic, and engaging. The actor agrees The fact that many viewers don’t know Rustin’s story is a reason to tell it.

“I love that his name is just Rustin,” she said.

“With the film it begs the question: Who is this?” He added: “Now that (the film) has been seen in 238 countries around the world, it is exceptional, because (Rustin) was marginalized in the history books for being openly gay.”

“He was the architect of the March on WashingtonHe was a master organizer and strategist, an important figure not only in our culture but in the world, and a very profound influence.

“However, it has been erased from history, so the fact that we can now bring it out of the shadows and place it at the heart of its history is important,” he added.

Despite some critics’ reservations about the film itself, there is widespread agreement that Domingo’s performance is superb.

“It is a clear, convincing and seemingly simple explanation “You may not even notice that he carries the film almost single-handedly,” Manohla Dargis wrote in the newspaper. New York times.

For her part, Wendy Eade from the London newspaper said: guardianpraised the “fast-paced and dynamic central performance” of the versatile Domingo, but added that the film itself was “a tireless slog through the action.”

Directed by George C. Wolfe, the film also stars Chris Rock and CCH Pounder, as well as Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Jeffrey Wright (both of whom are in the Oscar conversation this year, but for different films).

Personality recognition

Born in Pennsylvania (USA) in 1912, Bayard Rustin grew up as a Quaker and became known as an advocate of peaceful protest.

Rustin He was a friend of Martin Luther King He was a key advisor during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a protest that took place between December 1955 and December 1956, during which African-American residents of the town in southern Arkansas refused to use public transportation when they could not. Choose where to sit.

The activist was openly and proudly gay at a time when homophobia was rampant in the United States.

Rustin played a major role in organizing a peaceful civil rights protest, known as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. He gathered a group of young activists to help plan and organize the march.

He attended the protest held on August 28, 1963 250,000 peoplemuch more than expected.

Rustin read the march’s demands from the podium and stood alongside King as he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.

The march is credited with encouraging the U.S. government to make greater efforts to end racial discrimination, leading to the passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and the Voting Rights Acts of 1965.

Rustin died at the age of 75 in 1987..

As part of his research for the role, the actor first studied the activist’s training (“I always start with the written word,” he said) before watching documentary footage showing the speeches he gave.

“That’s when I discovered his accent. His rhythm, his morals. Look at the pictures of him standing, sitting, and how he moved his hands. “For me, it is important not to make it a tradition, but to find its essence.”

Supported by heavy weights

The Obamas’ production company, Higher Ground, is behind the film. In 2013, during his time in the White House, Obama awarded Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.

“(Rustin) was somebody Brave enough to be who he was Although he would certainly be ostracized, fired from his jobs, and shunned. This is what happened most of the time,” the former president once declared.

Domingo said the Obamas “took an interest in the spirit of the production,” in part because it was one of the first feature films produced by their company.

“They were responsible for getting the green light for this movie and making sure we had everything we needed to get it out and make it good,” he said.

“Their names are on the bar, so they were very involved. Even when we were on hiatus due to the coronavirus lockdowns, they wanted to get us together, and put us all on Zoom to connect with us. They inspire and encourage us to move forward“He said.

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