An examination of public relations theory and practice: A case study of Bayard Rustin's role in the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

This study sought to diversify the current literature available regarding the history of the public relations profession by focusing on Bayard Rustin's work as deputy director for the historic 1963 March on Washington For Jobs and Freedom. This researcher posited that if the theories and practices used in contemporary public relations were used during the Civil Rights Movement in 1963, then Rustin's role should have been documented in the historical evolution of public relations. The study combined historical and biographical methodologies to describe Rustin's work during the March in a public relations context. The historical study suggested the use of 6 public relations theories with a total of 16 occurrences and 32 public relations practices with a total of 86 occurrences in the works of Gentile (1983), Hampton (1986), Haskins (1993, 1997), and Lewis (1998), which described the environment surrounding the March. The Biographical Study included a sample of 81 letters and 30 memoranda from The Bayard Rustin Papers (1990) used in the March planning. The letter data suggested the use of 6 public relations theories with a total of 26 occurrences and 36 public relations practices with a total of 313 occurrences. The memoranda data suggested the use of 5 public relations theories with a total of 14 occurrences; in addition, 26 public relations practices were identified with a total of 90 occurrences. Byerly (1993), Fluker (1996), and Hanson (1997) noted that the use of public relations by social activists during the Civil Rights Movement served as a model for subsequent causes; however, the Movement's contribution to public relations has not been well documented.