Andrew Young was ordained as a minister at the Central Congregational Church in New Orleans. During his coursework at Hartford Theological Seminary, Young filled his time with many activities. He preached at local churches, and in the summer of 1952 Young worked as an assistant for a church in Marion, Alabama. In 1956 Young organized his first voter registration drive in Thomasville, Georgia, the town where he was pastor at the United Church of Christ. In 1957, Young received an offer to be the associate director of the Department of Youth Work of the National Council of Churches. Andrew Young has worked as a Civil Rights activist, Congressman, Ambassador, Mayor of Atlanta, GA, and business and community leader, he remains a minister. As a pastor in Thomasville, Georgia, Young encountered the Ku Klux Klan during a voter registration event but stood firm and advocated for the mayor to take action. After the assassination of Dr. King in 1968, Andrew Young continued to be a leader in the SCLC until 1970. On January 30, 1977, Andrew Young became the first African-American ambassador to the United Nations. Young served as mayor of Atlanta for two terms, from 1982 to 1990. He focused on economic development initiatives and became a treasured figure in Atlanta's history.
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Church Affiliation: Central Congregational Church. Bethany Congregational Church and Evergreen Congregational Church
Role in the Movement:Andrew Young served in many roles in the Civil Rights Movement
Birth Place:New Orleans, LA
Born Date:December 3, 1932
Deceased Date:
Place Lived as Adult:Alabama and Georgia
Church Location:Thomasville, GA