Andrew Young Jr.: The Civil Rights Movement

Andrew Young Jr.: One of the Many Spiritual Leaders of The Civil Rights Movement When I think about the civil rights movement a few prominent names come to mind, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcom X. These highly influential people and many like them have served as the faces of the movement, but it is important to understand that the movement was a culmination of the works of many. Rooted in the spirituality of African-Americans, the civil rights movement called upon the entire community to work together and effect change in the world around them. Apart from Martin Luther King, Andrew Young Jr. was one of the many spiritual leaders who took on a prominent role in guiding African-Americans in the fight for equality. He was Martin

was born in 1932 in New Orleans to Andrew Young and Daisy Young. Two years later they had another son named Walter. His father was a dentist while his mother was a school teacher. He was born to a middle-class family during a very tumultuous time in America. Roosevelt had just been elected president during America’s Great Depression, World War 2 was on the horizon, and Jim Crow was strongly present in the south. Religion was very important to the Young family. In Andrew’s book, “An Easy Burden: The Civil Rights Movement and the Transformation of America”, he talks about how his family regularly attended Central Congregational Church, a church that practiced the faith of the United Church of Christ. It is a protestant religion that has let go of many of the creeds and ritualistic practices of the catholic church in favor of an overarching creed of love and unity. They also abandoned the practice of a pope, preferring a unified congregation with pastors and deacons as spiritual leaders. They focus especially on the New Testament of the Holy Bible and use it as a guide to promote peace and equality using nonviolent methods, a tactic utilized by many of the leaders of the civil rights

He obtained the House of Representatives’ seat for Georgia in 1972, becoming the first African-American to hold the seat since the Reconstruction period. He was re-elected twice for the position due to his support for the poor, human rights, and educational initiatives, and then moved on to become the US UN ambassador during Jimmy Carter’s presidency due to his views on the apartheid in South Africa. After some controversy, due to a secret meeting with a Palestinian ambassador, Andrew moved on to become the mayor of Atlanta for two terms and was also able to get the Olympic games to be hosted in Atlanta. Following an attempt to run for Governor, Andrew continued to play roles in politics and in the community by becoming president of the NCC, taking up teaching at Georgia State University, and many other community projects. He’s truly been a commendable leader for the black community and I admire his drive for service and am happy to follow his example in doing the “church’s work”.

Andrew Young’s life as a dedicated pastor and as a later guide for the African-American people has led me to think more seriously about the impact I wish to have on the black community as a practicing physician. I’ve always been taught to have compassion for others as a part of my Christian faith and as a general good way to live, which is why the decision to become a doctor was easy for me especially