ATLANTA (WJBF) – Ambassador Andrew Young is known to wear many hats: politician, pastor, diplomat, activist and author.
Born in New Orleans, the 93-year-old initially studied to be a dentist at Howard University.
“I had a good life starting out as a preacher starting out in rural Alabama and Georgia. Then I spent four years in New York with the National Council of Churches. Then in 1960, when the student sit ins started, we sold our home in New York and came back to Atlanta,” said Andrew Young.
“I learned to live with people who were different and disagreed with me, and whom I disagreed with. My father said — don’t get mad but get smart. He said if you lose your temper in a fight, you lose the fight,” said Young.
His political career includes being a US representative in congress in the 1970’s, and serving as the first African American Ambassador to the United Nations.
He eventually served as the 55th mayor of Atlanta, and the co-chair of the centennial Olympic games in Atlanta.
Young says he drew inspiration from leaders like MLK Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi — focusing on leading with non-violence.
“I remember we were in a march in Chicago and this young lady came up to him and called him names said get out of town. He just looked at her and said you are much too beautiful to be so mean. It shocked her. When we came back, she ran out in front of the demonstration and said ‘Dr. King, I’m sorry, you are right. I’m sorry I was so mean,'” said Young.
“I decided we had to be more aggressive in forcing change and I began working with Martin Luther King Jr. and my job was also started as opening the door to negotiations on whatever conflict or change we were trying to institute,” said Young.
Young played a key role in the passage of the voting rights act of 1965 and says his motto is “live and let live.”
Young remembers his time with MLK junior and how he paved the way for civil rights in the south.
“I never saw him really get angry. He was very calm even when someone came up to him and hit him. He did not make an effort to duck or defend himself. He would say did I do something to upset or what are you upset about?” said Andrew Young.
Andrew Young went to college at the age of 15 and graduated by 19. He has received more than 100 honorary degrees from colleges around the country, and will be honored in may by National Jewish Health for his dedication at a ceremony called “Forever young – a tribute to Andrew Young.” His legacy is one of leadership, compassion and advocacy for a better world.
“The most important thing we can do is to live together as brothers and sisters or we will perish together as fools,” said Young.
-
Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, third from right, his wife Jean second from right, Ozell Sutton, fourth from right, and former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson fourth from left, join arms as they participate in an Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity “Free South Africa” march in downtown Atlanta, Aug. 11, 1985. Several hundred people walked from a downtown hotel down Auburn Ave. to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center. Three men at far left and woman at far right are unidentified. (AP Photo/Ric Feld) -
Coretta Scott King and Andew Young marching (AP Photo) -
The Hon. Andrew Young, mayor of Atlanta, Ga., spoke to the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, AFL-CIO at their Miami Beach meeting, Thursday, June 18, 1987 in Atlanta. Young said he was relieved to be free of the threat of indictment after U.S. Attorney Robert Barr announced he had decided against pursuing obstruction charges against the mayor. (AP Photo/Raul Demolina) -
Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young addresses a meeting of the Association of School Administrators meeting, Friday, Sept. 23, 1983 in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds) -
Former U.S. United Nations Ambassador Andrew Jackson Young takes the oath of office as Atlanta’s mayor in Atlanta at the Omni Coliseum, Monday, Jan. 4, 1982. Young, a minister and former U.S. Congressman was a top to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (AP Photo) -
Former Pres. Jimmy Carter, right, greets former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young at a dinner of the National Mental Health Association to honor former ambassador W. Averell Harriman, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1981, Washington, D.C. Young, who served in the U. N. post under Pres. Carter, is currently involved in a run-off campaign for the office of mayor of Atlanta. (AP Photo/Scott Applewhite) -
Former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young addresses the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 1979, Chicago, Ill. (AP Photo/Larry Stoddard) -
Former President Jimmy Carter poses, Apr 19, 1988 in Atlanta with Habitat founder Millard Fuller, project directer Bruce Gunter, and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young in front of the first of 20 Habitat homes to be built this summer. (AP Photo, Joe Holloway Jr.) -
Vice President Walter Mondale, left, speaks with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrews Young, Sunday, May 15, 1977 at Lisbon?s Ritz Hotel. Young was on his way to a tour of African Nations, while the Vice President was making the rounds of several European countries. (AP Photo/Harvey Georges) -
Dr. Martin Luther King confers with his assistant, Andrew Young, at press conference at the Overseas Press Club in New York, May 15, 1967. (AP Photo/Anthony Camerano) -
Ambassador Andrew Young, U.S. representative at the United Nations, wipes his mouth before testifying before the Senate subcommittee on African Affairs, Monday, April 18, 1977 in Washington. The subcommittee is holding hearings on the African Development Fund. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty) -
Former Ambassador Andrew Young arrives ahead of a “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song,” concert at the Fox Theatre, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) -
United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young meets with President Jimmy Carter at the White House in Washington, Feb. 14, 1977. Young reported on his recent trip to Africa. (AP Photo/Jeff Taylor) -
Civil Rights activist Andrew Young speaks during an interview on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Atlanta. “If there is a place where we can learn to live together as brothers and sisters, rather than perish together as fools, it’s the United States of America,” he says. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) -
Andrew Young is sworn in as United Nations ambassador by Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall, as President Jimmy Carter looks on at the White House, Jan. 31, 1977 in Washington. Young, a Democratic congressman from Georgia and a leader of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, is being sent by Carter on a 10-day drip to Africa. First lady Rosalynn Carter is seen at left. (AP Photo) -
Rep. Andrew Young of Georgia delivers one of the seconding speeches for Jimmy Carter during the Democratic National Convention at Madison Square Garden, Wednesday, July 14, 1976, New York. (AP Photo/Harry Harris) -
The Rev. Martin Luther King makes a statement at the Justice Department in Washington on Dec. 1, 1964 after a meeting with FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. King termed the 1¼-hour talk quite amicable Andrew Young, assistant to King, is at left. (AP Photo/Bob Schutz)
