For the Bayard Rustin piece (which continues the tradition of confusingly being in the features rather than critics section), I was most interested in the sections on his early life and legacy as Rustin went to high school in my home town of West Chester, Pennsylvania. I either never knew or had forgotten that Rustin came from the local Quaker community and I'm curious to learn more about the Black Quaker community in particular.
I first heard of Rustin in the early 2000s when there was a somewhat contentious debate over whether to name a new high school in West Chester after him. The vote was eventually approved, but reading back on the Philadelphia Inquirer's coverage of the issue you get choice quotes like, "'This whole project was a complete farce from beginning to end,' said [June] Cardosi, who has been opposed to Rustin from the beginning because of his sexual orientation."
I had long recalled that there was an earlier debate when they were building an earlier high school in the 1970s that went the other way. This resulted in me attending the redundantly named "West Chester East Senior High School" rather than "Bayard Rustin High School". But I think I just imagined this, as it seems unlikely there was serious debate about naming a high school for someone still living. This article reminded me that Rustin lived for over two decades following the March on Washington (and that his partner was still alive). I do wish it had paid a bit more attention to his later life.
Apart from that, I thought this was a strong issue. Ed Caesar's piece was probably the highlight. I also enjoyed the Ridley Scott feature more than you did. There's presumably been enough already written about him that a more narrow focus on this latest film was satisfying enough for me.
For the Bayard Rustin piece (which continues the tradition of confusingly being in the features rather than critics section), I was most interested in the sections on his early life and legacy as Rustin went to high school in my home town of West Chester, Pennsylvania. I either never knew or had forgotten that Rustin came from the local Quaker community and I'm curious to learn more about the Black Quaker community in particular.
I first heard of Rustin in the early 2000s when there was a somewhat contentious debate over whether to name a new high school in West Chester after him. The vote was eventually approved, but reading back on the Philadelphia Inquirer's coverage of the issue you get choice quotes like, "'This whole project was a complete farce from beginning to end,' said [June] Cardosi, who has been opposed to Rustin from the beginning because of his sexual orientation."
I had long recalled that there was an earlier debate when they were building an earlier high school in the 1970s that went the other way. This resulted in me attending the redundantly named "West Chester East Senior High School" rather than "Bayard Rustin High School". But I think I just imagined this, as it seems unlikely there was serious debate about naming a high school for someone still living. This article reminded me that Rustin lived for over two decades following the March on Washington (and that his partner was still alive). I do wish it had paid a bit more attention to his later life.
Apart from that, I thought this was a strong issue. Ed Caesar's piece was probably the highlight. I also enjoyed the Ridley Scott feature more than you did. There's presumably been enough already written about him that a more narrow focus on this latest film was satisfying enough for me.