Hartford International University to Explore “The Many Lives of Andrew Young”
/From the Civil Rights Movement to international diplomacy, Ambassador Andrew J. Young helped shape some of the defining chapters of modern American history. Now, a traveling exhibition at his alma mater offers the public a closer look at the experiences, relationships and faith that informed his work.
Hartford International University for Religion and Peace (HIU) is hosting “The Many Lives of Andrew Young” through Dec. 10 on its campus at 77 Sherman Street in Hartford.
The exhibition is open to the public during regular campus business hours, Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., excluding holidays. No RSVP is required. Visitors should check in at the front desk.
A 1955 graduate of Hartford Theological Seminary, now HIU, Young worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before serving as a U.S. congressman, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and mayor of Atlanta. His career has spanned ministry, civil rights advocacy, public service and global engagement.
Through photographs, memorabilia and storytelling in Young’s own words, the exhibition follows his early years in New Orleans, his ministry, his role in the Civil Rights Movement and his continued work through the Andrew J. Young Foundation.
The exhibition also highlights Young’s lasting connection to Hartford. Reflecting on the education that helped prepare him for a lifetime of service, Young said, “All of it was seeds planted here.”
At the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Young worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. in teaching non-violent organizing strategies as a means for full citizenship for Blacks. Young’s key work was as a strategist and negotiator. As such, he played a key role in negotiating the 1963 Birmingham desegregation agreement. Working alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. and other leaders of the civil rights movement, Young contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
In 1972, Young was elected the first Black congressman from Georgia since Reconstruction. In 1977 Young was appointed United States Ambassador to the United Nations by President Jimmy Carter and served in this role until 1979. As mayor of the city of Atlanta from 1982-1990, Young pioneered the work of transforming Atlanta into an international city. Andrew Young - born March 12, 1932 - remains active in civil rights advocacy, and education, well into his 90’s.
Created by the National Monuments Foundation, the exhibition was first unveiled at the Millennium Gate Museum in Atlanta in early 2022 as part of Young’s 90th birthday celebration. It originated with the coffee-table book of the same title by Atlanta Journal-Constitution journalist Ernie Suggs.
Two main events are upcoming at HIU in Hartford this month:
Exhibition Open House — Tuesday, Nov. 10, 6–8 p.m. Community members, alumni and friends are invited to explore the exhibition and learn about Young’s connection to HIU. Visitors may stop by anytime during the event. RSVP through HIU’s open house event page.
Documentary Screening — Tuesday, Nov. 17, 5:30 p.m. HIU will screen “Andrew Young: The Dirty Work,” an MS NOW documentary exploring the relationship-building, difficult conversations and negotiations behind Young’s work for civil rights and international diplomacy.
Founded in 1834, Hartford International University for Religion and Peace brings people of different religious and cultural backgrounds together through graduate education, research and community engagement. HIU prepares leaders in interreligious understanding, chaplaincy and peacebuilding.
