Andrew J. Young

Ambassador Andrew J. Young has earned worldwide recognition as a champion of civil and human rights. In a career that spans seven decades, he was a key strategist in civil rights campaigns, served three terms in Congress, was the first African American U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and a two-term mayor of Atlanta. Today, he continues to lead as a minister and as a philanthropist. He brings an emphasis on human rights and sustainable economic development in all he does. 

Ambassador Young has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and more than 100 other distinguished awards in recognition of his lifelong dedication to service. His portrait is part of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery's permanent collection. In 2003, he and his wife Carolyn founded the Andrew J. Young Foundation, supporting education, health, leadership, and human rights in the U.S., Africa, and the Caribbean. Young also serves on various boards, including the Martin Luther King Center and Morehouse College. He was born in 1932 in New Orleans, and he currently lives in Atlanta with his wife, Carolyn McClain. He is also a father of three daughters and one son, a grandfather of nine and a great grandfather of one.