Biography of Andrew Young, Civil Rights Activist

Biography of Andrew Young, Civil Rights Activist Andrew Young was born March 12, 1932  in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a pastor, civil rights activist, and former politician. As a Democrat, he was mayor of Atlanta, a U.S. congressman representing Georgia’s 5th District, and the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. He also served as executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and as pastor of various churches. Andrew Young Full Name: Andrew Jackson Young, Jr.Occupation: Civil rights activist, politician, pastorBorn: March 12, 1932 in New Orleans, LouisianaParents: Daisy Young and Andrew Jackson Young Sr.Education: Dillard University, Howard University, Hartford SeminaryKey Accomplishments: Atlanta mayor, US Ambassador to the United Nations, US House of RepresentativesSpouses: Jean Childs (m. 1954-1994), Carolyn McClain (m. 1996)Children: Andrea, Lisa, Paula, and Andrew Young IIIFamous Quote: â€Å"It is a blessing to die for a cause because you can so easily die for nothing.† Early Years Andrew Young grew up in a middle-class Italian neighborhood in New Orleans. His mother, Daisy Young, was a teacher, and his father, Andrew Young Sr., was a dentist. His family’s privilege, especially relative to African Americans, could not shield Young and his brother, Walt, from the racial tensions of the segregated South. His father so feared for his children’s safety in this environment that he gave them professional boxing lessons to help them protect themselves, if necessary. Andrew Young, American senator and civil-rights leader who began his career as a pastor, also worked with Martin Luther KIng, Jr. Young was the ambassador to the United Nations and the mayor of Atlanta.   CORBIS / Getty Images In 1947, Young graduated from Gilbert Academy and enrolled in Dillard University. He ultimately transferred out of Dillard, receiving his bachelor’s degree from Howard University in 1951. He went on to get a divinity degree from Hartford Theological Seminary in 1955. A Pastor, Pacifist, and Activist Young’s early career as a pastor led to some significant changes in his life. At an Alabama church, he met his first wife, Jean Childs, with whom he would go on to have four children. He also served on the pastoral staffs of Georgia churches. Early in his career, Young took an interest in the philosophy of nonviolence and civil rights. His efforts to register African Americans in the Deep South to vote led him to meet the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and join the Civil Rights Movement. He faced death threats because of his activism but continued to advocate for voting rights. He moved to New York City in 1957 to work with the National Council of Churches, but returned to the South to continue his civil rights activism in Georgia in 1961. He participated in the citizenship schools that taught rural blacks how to read and mobilize politically. African Americans who tried to exercise their voting rights in the Jim Crow South were often presented with literacy tests at the polls, though such tests were not routinely given to white voters. In fact, the examinations were used to intimidate and disenfranchise would-be black voters. Civil rights activist Andrew Young addressing the crowd at the funeral of assassinated American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr (1929 - 1968), Atlanta, Georgia, 9th April 1968.   Archive Photos / Getty Images Young’s involvement with the citizenship schools and his relationship with King resulted in him taking a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement. Having successfully organized anti-segregation marches, Young proved himself a trustworthy activist, and he rose to the highest ranks of the SCLC. He became the organization’s executive director in 1964. During this tenure, he would serve jail time for engaging in civil rights protests in Selma, Alabama, and St. Augustine, Florida. But serving as the SCLCs executive director also led him to help draft important civil rights legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Together, these laws helped to strike down Jim Crow in the South. While Young had enjoyed a great deal of success as a civil rights activist, the movement came to a halt with the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. As the turbulent sixties came to an end, Young transitioned out of the SCLC and into the political world. A Rocky Political Career In 1972, Young made history when he became the first black person to serve as a U.S. congressman from Georgia since Reconstruction. This victory came after he lost his bid to be congressman two years earlier. After winning his congressional campaign, Young continued to champion the causes he had as a civil rights activist, including anti-poverty and educational programs. He served in the Congressional Black Caucus and advocated for pacifism; he objected to the Vietnam War and established the U.S. Institute for Peace. Mayor Andy Young (1932- ) announces his bid to run for governor of Georgia with his wife Jean who stands at right. Bettmann  / Getty Images Young left Congress when newly elected President Jimmy Carter appointed him the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 1977. In the role, Young advocated against racial apartheid in South Africa, but in 1979, he inadvertently sparked a controversy that led to his resignation from the post. He had a secret meeting with Zehdi Labib Terzi, the Palestinian Liberation Organizations U.N. observer. This was controversial because the U.S. is an ally of Israel and the Carter administration had promised that none of its officials would meet with the PLO until that organization formally recognized Israel’s existence. President Carter denied any responsibility for Young’s meeting with the PLO and had the unrepentant ambassador resign. Young said he felt that the secret meeting was in the nation’s best interest at the time. The PLO controversy did not interfere with Young’s political career post-White House. In 1981, he successfully campaigned to be Atlanta’s mayor, a post he held for two terms. Afterward, he entered the 1990 race to become the governor of Georgia but lost the campaign. While the loss stung, Young also played a pivotal role in bringing the 1996 Summer Olympic Games to Atlanta. He said he wanted to show the public that Atlanta â€Å"is a world-class city† as well as â€Å"a brave and beautiful city.† Young’s Influence Today In the twenty-first century, Andrew Young has remained relevant. He has served in leadership positions for various organizations, including the National Council of Churches from 2000 to 2001. He also established the Andrew Young Foundation in 2003 to advocate for human rights throughout the African diaspora.   Author Kabir Sehgal, Author and Ambassador Andrew Young, and President Bill Clinton attend the Walk In My Shoes: Conversations Between A Civil Rights Legend and His Godson on The Journey Ahead Book Event at The Paley Center for Media on February 9, 2011 in New York City.   Brian Ach / Getty Images Today, Andrew Young belongs to the select group of activists who directly witnessed the Civil Rights Movement unfold. He has documented his activism in several books, including 1994’s â€Å"A Way Out of No Way† and 2010’s â€Å"Walk in My Shoes: Conversations Between a Civil Rights Legend and His Godson on the Journey Ahead.† Young has won a number of awards, most notably the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He’s also the recipient of the NAACP’s Springarn Medal and the Democratic Party of Georgia’s John Lewis Lifetime Achievement Award. Educational institutions such as Morehouse College and Georgia State University have named the Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, respectively, after him. Young’s influential role in the Civil Rights Movement was also captured in the 2014 film â€Å"Selma,† which introduced a new generation of young people to his work. Sources â€Å"Andrew Young Fast Facts.†CNN, Feb. 27, 2019.George, Lisa. â€Å"Andrew Young On 1996 Olympics: ‘We Were Working Together.’† WABE.org, July 21, 2016. â€Å"Young, Andrew Jackson Jr.† History.House.gov.

Free Essays on Banning Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has many positive points including the fact that it can be used to educate children and the characters can be compared to stereotypical people and situations in real life, which are merely cloaked in fantasy to disguise a classic story of good v. evil which should be accepted for what it is, a really good story. This extremely controversial series has parents and religious leaders across the world denouncing the books as evil propaganda for Satanism. Here in the United States the books have been challenged and banned in schools and public libraries with some extremists staging book burnings that resemble those held in Nazi Germany. Throughout all of this controversy children have continued to become enthralled by the harmless fantasy and magic. In her article, â€Å"Banning Books From the Classroom: How To Handle Cries For Censorship,† Sharon Cromwell uses a format that is easily understood to explain the issues involved with the challenging and banning of books. Ms. Cromwell strives to present both sides of the argument equally, and begins by presenting the issues in the statements: †¦advocates of banning certain books maintain that children in grades K-12 will be harmed if we don’t protect them from inappropriate materials. Opponents are equally heated in insisting that censorship of books and other curriculum materials violates the academic freedom and diversity of thought protected by the U.S. Constitution (2). This presents both sides of the issue clearly and defines the outlines of the article, which strives to be fair. In discussing the case, Island Trees Union Free High School v. Pico (1982), the Supreme Court is quoted as saying the â€Å"Constitution does not permit the official suppression of ideas,† and then it is stated that the banned books were returned to the school shelves. This is followed by the statement, â€Å"the Court seems to allow school boards a rather free hand wi... Free Essays on Banning Harry Potter Free Essays on Banning Harry Potter J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has many positive points including the fact that it can be used to educate children and the characters can be compared to stereotypical people and situations in real life, which are merely cloaked in fantasy to disguise a classic story of good v. evil which should be accepted for what it is, a really good story. This extremely controversial series has parents and religious leaders across the world denouncing the books as evil propaganda for Satanism. Here in the United States the books have been challenged and banned in schools and public libraries with some extremists staging book burnings that resemble those held in Nazi Germany. Throughout all of this controversy children have continued to become enthralled by the harmless fantasy and magic. In her article, â€Å"Banning Books From the Classroom: How To Handle Cries For Censorship,† Sharon Cromwell uses a format that is easily understood to explain the issues involved with the challenging and banning of books. Ms. Cromwell strives to present both sides of the argument equally, and begins by presenting the issues in the statements: †¦advocates of banning certain books maintain that children in grades K-12 will be harmed if we don’t protect them from inappropriate materials. Opponents are equally heated in insisting that censorship of books and other curriculum materials violates the academic freedom and diversity of thought protected by the U.S. Constitution (2). This presents both sides of the issue clearly and defines the outlines of the article, which strives to be fair. In discussing the case, Island Trees Union Free High School v. Pico (1982), the Supreme Court is quoted as saying the â€Å"Constitution does not permit the official suppression of ideas,† and then it is stated that the banned books were returned to the school shelves. This is followed by the statement, â€Å"the Court seems to allow school boards a rather free hand wi...

Sociology - Wal-Mart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sociology - Wal-Mart - Essay Example Eventually, the only thing that is left is Wal-Mart, and the people have no choice left but to shop there. This can cause an effect similar to a monopoly in a small town. People may have no stores for miles except for Wal-Mart because ever place has had to close because it couldn't compete with Wal-Mart. This then leaves people with no choice BUT to shop at Wal-Mart, and this only continues the vicious cycle elsewhere in other small towns. This can cause devastation effects on a town's economy. Wal-Mart then becomes the ONLY major player still in the economy of a town. This not only puts small stores out of jobs, but gets rid of the basis for all business, competition. This can then lead to Wal-Mart business policies becoming lax, as they no longer have to compete and now are the only game in town. The entire point of business is to have competition, but Wal-Mart makes sure to destroy all competition it can have early on. Wal-Mart also has many problems that go deeper than just the problems after the store comes in. If everybody who shopped at Wal-Mart sat down and watched this movie about how bad Wal-Mart treats its employees, and the poor wages that the corporation tries to pass by. Examples are given of major sexism against women, and how unfairly the Wal-Mart Corporation treats women.