Former U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young, a civil rights pioneer, politician and
activist, is scheduled to speak at Alabama State University’s Ralph David Abernathy Auditorium Feb. 16, at 11 a.m. as part of a Civil Rights Symposium about the impact of civil rights activism on college campuses.
The event, sponsored by Alabama State University and the Alabama Commission of Higher Education (ACHE), will feature a number of panelists. These include: historians, representatives from other universities, organizations and political constituents. There will be a fireside chat with Student Government Association (SGA) Executive President, Dylan Stallworth.
Young will also be presenting his book, “The Many Lives of Andrew Young,” which chronicles the life and legacy of the icon, who is an influential human rights activist. A book signing will follow afterward.
“We partnered with ACHE to have this event so that our students will understand
and not forget the importance of the Civil Rghts Movement,” said Tanjula Petty, Ed.D., assistant provost for student success and special initiatives. “To bring to their forethought the individuals who have fought for the rights that they have today. Andrew Young is a great person to come back to Alabama State to do that.”
Young became a standout in the Civil Rights Movement as leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and worked closely with Martin Luther King, Jr. to teach non-violent organizing strategies. He was a key strategist and negotiator in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Ambassador Young became the first African American representative from the Deep South to serve in Congress since Reconstruction and was appointed to serve as the first African American U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Young became the 55th mayor of Atlanta, worked with GoodWorks International to facilitate sustainable economic development in the Caribbean and Africa and produced and hosted the Emmy Award-nominated docu-series “Andrew Young Presents,” exploring contemporary issues. He is the author of several books, including “An Easy Burden: The Civil Rights Movement and the Transformation of America,” which is being updated and re-released in a special edition commemorating his 90th birthday.