Biography of andrew young

Andrew Young Jr. Entering politics, Young served in Congress, was the first African American ambassador to the United Nations and became mayor of Atlanta. In , he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The product of a middle-class family — his father was a dentist, his mother a teacher — he had to travel from his neighborhood to attend segregated schools.

In , he became an ordained minister. Working as a pastor in Georgia, Young first became part of the civil rights movement when he organized voter registration drives.

How old is andrew young

He moved to New York City to work with the National Council of Churches in , then returned to Georgia in to help lead the "citizenship schools" that tutored African Americans in literacy, organizing and leadership skills. Though the schools were a success, Young sometimes had trouble connecting with the rural students in the program. As the Southern Christian Leadership Conference was running the citizenship school program, Young became a member of the organization and began working closely with King.

Within the SCLC, Young coordinated desegregation efforts throughout the South, including the May 3, march against segregation during which participants were attacked by police dogs.

Andrew young children

Two years later, he ran again, and this time was elected to the House of Representatives. In his time as a legislator, he supported programs for the poor, educational initiatives and human rights. During Jimmy Carter's run for the presidency, Young offered key political support; when Carter was in office, he chose Young to be the U.

Young left his seat in Congress to take the position. While ambassador, he advocated for human rights on a global scale, such as sanctions to oppose rule by apartheid in South Africa. The resignation did not keep Young from being elected as Atlanta's mayor in