"The proof that one truly believes is in action." Bayard Rustin

Bayard Rustin (1912 – 1987), an American leader and brilliant organizer, was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in August 2013. An advisor to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mr. Rustin promoted nonviolent resistance, participated in one of the first Freedom Rides, organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and fought tirelessly for marginalized communities.

As President Obama explained: "The Presidential Medal of Freedom goes to men and women who have dedicated their own lives to enriching ours." This description certainly fits Mr. Ruskin who, as an openly gay black man, stood at the intersection of several of the struggles for equal rights.

Although LGBT rights were not his primary focus, he was openly gay at a time when it was dangerous to come out. This took tremendous courage, particularly because his civil rights work alone subjected him to controversy and threats. As an openly gay civil rights activist, he risked not only physical violence, but social and professional rejection.

This award coincides with the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March. Fifty years after he organized a landmark march that changed America, Mr. Rustin is finally getting the recognition he deserves.