"Ambassador Young was a natural selection for this tribute," said foundation chairwoman Melinda Ashcraft, who is also president of Six Flags Over Georgia. "He has a history of great work from his dedication to civil rights to his political career and now to his continued activism in favor of human rights."
Young, a native of New Orleans, began his professional life as an ordained minister. A scholar of Gandhi's concept of nonviolent resistance as a tactic for social change, Young encouraged blacks to register to vote - sometimes facing death threats in doing so. In 1964 he was selected as the executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, becoming one of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's closest allies.
His political resume includes becoming the first black from the Deep South since Reconstruction to be elected to U.S. Congress. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed him as the first black to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Following two terms as mayor of Atlanta, Young became co-chair of the committee that brought the 1996 Summer Olympics to Atlanta.
He is now co-chair of Good Works International. He and his wife, Carolyn McClain Young, live in Atlanta.
This will be the sixth year for the Legacy Awards. Past honorees include Vince Dooley, Roy Barnes, Johnny Isakson, Conley Ingram, Bill Kinney, Truett Cathy and Betty Siegel.
The event is the signature fundraiser for the Chattahoochee Tech Foundation, and funds raised go to support students and programs at Georgia's largest technical college, which has more than 11,000 students enrolled on its six campuses.
While many of the students receive traditional financial aid to cover tuition and fees, they find themselves looking for additional funding for tools, uniforms, equipment and books. The foundation also provides support for college needs where state funding falls short.
"It is our way of honoring those in our community who exemplify the qualities of leadership and great works," said Dr. Sanford Chandler, president of Chattahoochee Technical College. "Ambassador Young has not only created a lasting legacy in areas of international diplomacy and human rights, but he has also been a strong advocate for education."
For information about tickets or sponsorship packages, call (770) 528-4522.
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