BIO SUMMARY ON BAYARD RUSTIN
Originator: CIA
From: WITHHELD
Document date: 11/05/1967
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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2023 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

5 NOv SAY

E1-61758

RIISTIN, Bayard

1.

Noted negro cir l rights leader.and seace worker. Born 17 March

1913 in Vest Chester "enn. He resides i New York City:

2. Subject admitte has had nunerous contacts with CP members and CP

front groupspalthowl there

Commune, la n0 intertion to indicate that he is

now a'Conmunist of sympathizer. A cursary review of voluminous information

indicates that RUSTIN maintains contact with CP affiliated groups and

their members to further his own work in the civil rights movement and

peace crusades. Subject appears dedicated to büs cause but is hampered

somewhat by irresdgnsibility and illuststd a homosexual problem.

3. Herds a member of the Ioung Conunist League (1936-J9141), the American

Student Union (1939)e and an active member of the War Festaters League.

In 195T Subject attended the 16th National Convention of the CPUSA as

a non-toamunist observer and represenative of the War Resiaterg League.

In July 1950 he stated that he was formerly a member of the CP but was

no longer so affiliated. Subject has also been a member of the National

Committeo for Non-Violent Action. He was Secretary fit to Martin Luther

KING from 1956 to 1960 and in 1962 he was Assistant Secretary for the

Sother Christian Leadership Conference and Deputy Director_of_the 1964

63?

March on Washington.

L. In 1961 RUSTIN spoke at a meeting of the Monroo Defense Committee in

New York City" taking a more militant approach to the civil rights movement.

In this speach Subject stated that there was a breakdown in law enforcement

on all levels in the South and it was not only the right but the duty of

negros to furnish their own protection, by armed force if necessary and

to establish their own police forces. In April 1962, Subject debated

MAICOIN X and stated that he was not in accord with the Muslims on their

teachings of hate and their desire to sep up a seperate state for themselves.

5. In 1958 Subject traveled to London, England to participate in a protest

against Britains manufactuer of nuclear. weapons. The london protest was

organized by an Affiliate ## organization of the Campaign for Nuclear Dis

armament, a communist front group.

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6. In late 1952 Subject traveled to Ghana te erganisa a march to the Sahara

fesert to protest the Frenck testing of alf' hydrogen bomb. He was unsucsessful.

7. A report dated 5 May 1966 indicated that RUSTIN was a member of a group

sent to the Dominican Republic by Norman Thomas to look into the situation

in that coptry to determine if the potential ellamate is conductive to

tree elections.

8.Subject has had contacts with the following noted CP members and sympathizers:

A report dated 23 April 1962 indicated that Subject was in contact with

will dan Voy, Loftist negro journalist and lecturer. Another report dated

29 November 1963 indicated that he was in contact with Benjamin J. DAVIS,

National Secretary of the CPUSA. DAVIS had previously stated that the CP

must concentrate on inflwincing the leaders ladlenters and policie:

of the negro liberation movemento This same report also indicated that one

of RUSTINS co-workers thought that Subject was "manipulated" by Thomas

KARN, a member of the Socialist Party.

9. Subjects arrest record includes a three year sentence in 19W for violation

of the Selective Service Act and arrests in 1946 and 1953 for af lewd

act and sex perversion. In 1940 Subject registered as & Conscientious

Objector but later became corvinced that he should resist any form of

conscription, fill which led to his lIll conviction. The 1953 arrest

was publictzed by a Maryland newspaper in iloh to arrouse public sentiment

against RUSTINS

appearance at the University of Maryland to deliver a

lecture.

1. 201-275804*

2.

DBB 13602

DEA 59665

DBA

59665

DEB

1545

DBF 40568

DEB 46827

DBA

7422 (card record only)

DBB 13602

DBA

DBS

59665

13602

0

Frederick Ahr

5 Nobember 67

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