PBS News Hour

FOR THIS WEEK'S HIDDEN HISTORIES, WE LOOK AT ONE OF THE DRIVING FORCES BEHIND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

BECAUSE HE WAS AN OPENLY GAY MAN, HE WAS OFTEN RELEGATED TO BEHIND-THE-SCENES ROLES.

>> WE SHALL OVERCOME JOHN: AUGUST 20 8, 1963.

ABOUT 250,000 PEOPLE GATHERED IN FRONT OF THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL FOR THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON, A POWERFUL, PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION.

MARTIN LUTHER KING'S WORDS ECHOED DOWN THE WASHINGTON MALL TO THE CAPITOL WHERE CONGRESS WAS CONSIDERING THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.

>> I HAVE A DREAM THAT ONE DAY - - JOHN: THE ARCHITECT AT THE MOMENT ALSO ADDRESSED THE CROWD THAT DAY BUT HAS BEEN VIRTUALLY ERASED BY HISTORY.

>> WE HAVE EFFECTIVE CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION, NO COMPROMISE, NO FILIBUSTER, AND THAT IT IMPROVES PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION, DECENT HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE!

WHAT DO YOU SAY?

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] JOHN: IN LESS THAN TWO MONTHS, HE AND HIS TEAM ORGANIZED THE LARGEST DEMONSTRATION THE COUNTRY HAD EVER SEEN.

HE WAS ONLY CREDITED AS A DEPUTY, AS A GAY MAN WHO DID NOT HIDE HIS SEXUALITY, HE WAS NOT GIVEN HIGH-PROFILE ROLES.

HE WAS RAISED IN PENNSYLVANIA BY HIS GRANDPARENTS.

HIS GRANDMOTHER AFFIRMED HIS SEXUALITY AND INFIRMED IN HIM NONVIOLENT BELIEFS.

HE REFUSED TO REGISTER FOR THE DRAFT PICK HE SPENT MORE THAN TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR THAT.

IN 1947, HE PLANNED THE JOURNEY OF RECONCILIATION THAT WOULD BE THE MODEL FOR THE 1960'S FREEDOM RIDES ON INTERSTATE BUSES.

BUT HE PAID A PRICE FOR BEING OPEN ABOUT HIS SEXUALITY.

HE WAS KICKED OUT OF THE LEADING PACIFIST GROUP AFTER AN ARREST WHEN HE WAS DISCOVERED HAVING SACKS WITH ANOTHER MAN IN A CAR AND SENTENCED TO 60 DAYS IN JAIL AND REQUIRED TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER.

EVEN BEHIND THE SCENES CONTRIBUTED TO KEY EVENTS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT INCLUDING 1956 BUSES BOYCOTT.

IN 1962, HE DEBATED MALCOLM X OVER THE PATH AND GOALS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

>> AS WE FOLLOW THIS FORM OF MASS ACTION AND STRATEGIC NONVIOLENCE, WE WILL NOT ONLY PUT PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT BUT WE WILL PUT PRESSURE ON OTHER GROUPS WHICH OUGHT TO BE ALLIED WITH US.

JOHN: IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE LATE 1970'S THAT HE GOT INVOLVED WITH THE GAY-RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

DECADES AFTER HIS DEATH, HE BEGAN TO GET THE RECOGNITION DENIED HIM WHILE HE WAS ALIVE.

IN 2020, CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM PARDONED HIM FOR HIS 1953 ARREST AND CONVICTION.

EARLIER IN 2013, PRESIDENT OBAMA PRESENTED HIS LONGTIME PARTNER WITH HIS POSTHUMOUS PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM, THE COUNTRY'S HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR.