Troublemaker for Justice: The Story of Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the March on Washington

"Troublemaker for Justice is an incredible book! It is hard to believe that so much tumultuous history is contained in 154 pages. What emerges is the intense importance of seeing Bayard and other Civil Rights Leaders not just as historical figures, but as the brave people they were who made sacrifices for the betterment of society. Their stories vehemently ask us to not let their work towards creating a less violent world be in vain."--Connie Griffin, Children's Book Specialist, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM

"Bayard Rustin did not spend his life trying to fit in. Instead, Bayard's fascinating life story is the saga of one man's struggle to make the world fit his vision of justice." -- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

"Packed full of sidebars with additional context--including regarding the Quakers' views of civil rights, the nonviolent philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, and Jim Crow laws--the book also lists additional resources, includes a timeline of Rustin's life, and forwards discussion questions. . . . Troublemaker for Justice is a helpful primer for young readers about a civil rights leader who's worth learning more about."--Jeff Fleischer, Foreword Magazine

"Troublemaker for Justice illuminates readers on the life and legacy of Bayard Rustin. A notable civil rights leader, Rustin is often cast into the historical shadows of the civil rights movement in part because of his sexuality, political engagement with the communist party during the Cold War, and being a conscientious objector to World War II. Houtman, Naegle, and Long provide an in-depth history of Bayard Rustin's life, from his early childhood to his death in 1987. Inspired by his Quaker upbringing and the nonviolent direct organizing tactics of Mohandas Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi), Rustin strongly believed in the value of community organizing and remained true to his values of equality, peace, and civil disobedience. . . .Troublemaker for Justice is a great resource for high schoolers and middle schoolers with an advanced reading level to learn about activism, nonviolent organizing, the civil rights movement, and LGBTQ+ changemakers. By providing an in-depth narrative of an often overlooked historical figure, this book connects the dots between the less-told Journey for Reconciliation with the widely-known Freedom Riders Movement. This book contains great explanations of complicated terms/movements/ideologies, numerous graphics, and some basic discussion questions to use in classroom teaching."--Conner Suddick, "Social Justice Books: " A Teaching for Change Project

Michael G. Long is an associate professor of religious studies and peace and conflict studies at Elizabethtown College and is the author or editor of several books on civil rights, religion, and politics in mid-century America, including I Must Resist: Bayard Rustin's Life in Letters (City Lights, 2012), We the Resistance: Documenting a History of Nonviolent Protest in the United States (City Lights, 2018), First Class Citizenship: The Civil Rights Letters of Jackie Robinson (2007), Marshalling Justice: The Early Civil Rights Letters of Thurgood Marshall (2011). He holds a Ph.D. from Emory University in Atlanta and resides in Highland Park, Pennsylvania. Long's books have been featured or reviewed in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, USA Today, Book Forum, Ebony/Jet, and many other newspapers and journals. He has appeared on C-Span and NPR, and his speaking engagements have taken him from the National Archives in Washington, D.C., to the Houston Public Library, to the City Club of San Diego and the Metropolitan Club in New York City.

Jacqueline Houtman is the author of the award-winning children's book "The Reinvention of Edison Thomas," and earned a PhD in Medical Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her science writing for adults and children has appeared in World Book Science Year, FASEB's Breakthroughs in Bioscience series, Cleveland Clinic Magazine, The Dana Foundation's Progress in Brain Research, The Dana Sourcebook of Immunology and numerous academic and educational publications. Her debut novel, The Reinvention of Edison Thomas, was published by Boyds Mills Press in 2012.

Walter Naegle is the former partner of the American Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin and is executive director of the Bayard Rustin Fund, which commemorates Rustin's life, values, and legacy.