Andrew Young (full name Andrew Jackson Young Jr.) is a major American civil rights leader, politician, diplomat, pastor, and businessman whose work helped shape both the Civil Rights Movement and modern Atlanta.

Who Andrew Young Is

  • Born March 12, 1932, in New Orleans, Louisiana, into a Black middle‑class family.
  • Became a Protestant minister, then a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr. and a senior leader in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
  • Later served in Congress, as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and as mayor of Atlanta, making him one of the most influential Black politicians of the late 20th century.

Quick Career Scoop

Civil Rights Movement

  • Joined SCLC around 1961 and quickly became one of King’s most trusted strategists and negotiators.
  • Played key roles in campaigns in Albany and Birmingham, Alabama, and in voter‑registration and desegregation efforts across the South.
  • Helped mediate the Birmingham negotiations between Black leaders and white business and political interests, which contributed to the breakthrough that pressured for the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
  • Was present and active during the Selma voting‑rights struggle that helped pave the way for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
  • Worked on the Poor People’s Campaign after King’s assassination in 1968, helping keep SCLC’s economic‑justice agenda alive.

Elected Office and Diplomacy

  • Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia’s 5th District in 1972, becoming the first Black member of Congress from Georgia since Reconstruction and one of the first from the Deep South in the modern era.
  • Served three terms in Congress, focusing on civil rights, human rights, and economic opportunity.
  • Appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations by President Jimmy Carter in 1977, where he emphasized human rights and decolonization, especially in Africa, and advocated for an end to apartheid in South Africa.
  • Resigned from the UN ambassadorship in 1979 after controversy over an unauthorized meeting with a representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization, but remained a prominent national figure.

Mayor of Atlanta and Business Leader

  • Elected mayor of Atlanta in 1981 and reelected in 1985, becoming the city’s second Black mayor.
  • As mayor, prioritized bringing major private investment to Atlanta, helping attract roughly tens of billions of dollars in new development and strengthening the city’s position as an international business hub.
  • Pushed infrastructure growth, including expansion of the Atlanta airport, and helped secure the 1988 Democratic National Convention and the 1996 Summer Olympics for Atlanta.
  • After an unsuccessful run for Georgia governor in 1990, shifted into consulting and international business, co‑founding GoodWorks International (also called Good Works International), advising corporations and governments, particularly in the Caribbean and Africa.

Legacy, Honors, and Foundation Work

  • Recognized globally as a civil rights icon, diplomat, and advocate for development in Africa and the Global South.
  • Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and more than 100 honorary degrees from universities, reflecting his impact on civil rights and international affairs.
  • The Andrew J. Young Foundation (andrewyoung.org) supports programs in civil rights education, leadership development, and global humanitarian initiatives, extending his legacy to new generations.
  • Continues to appear in interviews and public events into his 90s, reflecting on the civil rights era and weighing in on contemporary U.S. politics and democracy.

Mini Timeline (At a Glance)

  • 1932 – Born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  • 1950s – Ordained minister; early pastoral work, including in Georgia.
  • Early 1960s – Joins SCLC, becomes close aide to King; major role in Birmingham and other campaigns.
  • 1968 – Helps lead the Poor People’s Campaign after King’s assassination.
  • 1972–1977 – Serves in U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia’s 5th District.
  • 1977–1979 – U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
  • 1982–1990 – Mayor of Atlanta for two terms.
  • 1990s–present – International consultant, chair/leader in various development and policy initiatives, founder of Andrew J. Young Foundation.

Simple HTML Fact Box

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<table>
  <tr><th>Field</th><th>Details</th></tr>
  <tr><td>Full name</td><td>Andrew Jackson Young Jr.</td></tr>
  <tr><td>Born</td><td>March 12, 1932, New Orleans, Louisiana</td></tr>
  <tr><td>Main roles</td><td>Civil rights leader, pastor, U.S. Congressman, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mayor of Atlanta, businessman</td></tr>
  <tr><td>Civil rights work</td><td>Senior aide to Martin Luther King Jr., key organizer and negotiator in Birmingham, Selma, Albany, and the Poor People’s Campaign</td></tr>
  <tr><td>Political milestones</td><td>First Black U.S. Representative from Georgia since Reconstruction; UN Ambassador (1977–1979); Mayor of Atlanta (1982–1990)</td></tr>
  <tr><td>Post‑office work</td><td>Founder of GoodWorks International and the Andrew J. Young Foundation; advocate for global development and human rights</td></tr>
  <tr><td>Notable honors</td><td>Presidential Medal of Freedom; 100+ honorary degrees</td></tr>
</table>

TL;DR: Andrew Young is a veteran civil rights strategist who worked side‑by‑side with Martin Luther King Jr., then went on to shape national and international politics as a congressman, UN ambassador, and transformative mayor of Atlanta, and he remains an influential elder statesman through his foundation and global advocacy.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.