Andrew Young
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, 1977-1979
United States Congressman, 1973-1977
Mayor of Atlanta, 1982-1990
Co-Founding Principal and Chairman, GoodWorks
International
Andrew Young has always viewed his career through the lens of
his first career- that of ordained minister. His work for civil and
human rights, his many years in public office as Congressman,
United Nations Ambassador and Mayor, his leadership of the
Atlanta Olympic Games, his advocacy of public purpose
capitalism through Goodworks International, and the
establishment of the Andrew J. Young Foundation are all a
response to his call to serve.
Ambassador Young brings a unique perspective formed by his wealth of experience in national and global
leadership to his focus on the challenges of this era. He confronted segregation with Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. and galvanized a movement that transformed a nation through non-violence. Young was a key
strategist and negotiator during the Civil Rights Campaigns in Birmingham and Selma that resulted in the
passage Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
He was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1972 and served on the Banking and Urban Affairs and Rules
Committees, sponsoring legislation that established a U.S. Institute for Peace, The African Development
Bank and the Chattahoochee River National Park, while negotiating federal funds for MARTA, the Atlanta
highway system and a new international airport for Atlanta. His support for Jimmy Carter helped to win the
Democratic Party nomination and election to the Presidency. In 1977, President Carter appointed him to
serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations where he negotiated an end to white-minority rule in
Namibia and Zimbabwe and brought Carter's emphasis on human rights to international diplomacy.
Ambassador Young's leadership as Mayor of Atlanta took place during a recession and a reduction in
federal funds for cities. He turned to international markets for investments in Atlanta attracting 1100 new
businesses, $70 billion in investment adding 1 million jobs to the region. He developed public-private
partnerships to leverage public dollars for the preservation of Zoo Atlanta.
Ambassador Young led the effort to bring the Centennial Olympic Games to Atlanta and as Co-Chair of the
Atlanta Olympic Committee, he oversaw the largest Olympic Games in history- in the number of countries,
the number of athletes and the number of spectators. He was awarded the Olympic Order, the highest
award of the Olympic Movement.
Ambassador Young has received honorary degrees from more than 60 universities and colleges in the U.S.
and abroad. The President Jimmy carter awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom and France
awarded him the Legion d'honneur, the greatest civilian honor in each nation. President William J. Clinton
appointed him the founding chair of the Southern African Enterprise Development Fund. He serves on a
number of boards, including: the Martin Luther King Center for Non-Violent Social Change, Barrick Gold,
the United Nations Foundation and the Atlanta Falcons and the Andrew Young School for Policy Studies at
Georgia State University.
Andrew Young Presents, the Emmy-nominated, nationally syndicated series of specials produced by
Ambassador Young through the Andrew J. Young Foundation, Inc. is seen in nearly 90 American markets
and around the world through the Armed Services Network. He is the author of two books A Way Out of
No Way and An Easy Burden.
Ambassador Young and his wife, the educator and civic leader Carolyn McClain Young, live in Atlanta. He
is the father of 4 and grandfather of 6.
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interesting historical perspective of US economics and how we got where we are
DeeryJE 1 year ago