Bayard Rustin and Quaker values
To the Editor,
Learning this week about the deserved pardon for Bayard Rustin, the West Chester-born Quaker activist who championed non-violence and organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, I am reminded how much I appreciate the Quaker values embedded in our town.
As a non-Quaker, I have especially valued the opportunity for young people to be counseled by members of Swarthmore Meeting about their commitment to become conscientious objectors in the event of a future draft. The Peace Collection housed in Swarthmore College’s McCabe Library, which may be searched online, is a living monument to non-violence.
With sincere gratitude,
Barbara Drebing
Swarthmore