On Sunday morning, I was invited to worship at The District Church in Washington, DC where Andrew Young spoke to the congregation. At almost 88 years old, he is one of the living legacies of the Civil Rights Movement. As a friend and colleague of Martin Luther, King Jr., he was involved in many civil rights campaigns including Birmingham and Selma. It was in one of the less familiar but equally important campaigns in St. Augustine, FL in 1964 that Andrew Young practiced his commitment to the non-violent love of Jesus in an especially powerful way. During one of the night marches, he was savagely beaten by a mob of white racists while attempting to cross a particular street. He got up from that beating and attempted to cross the street again. Once more he was beaten but remained peaceful and non-violent. Finally the mob backed off, and he successfully crossed the street. Today in St. Augustine, that spot is designated as “Andrew Young Crossing” as a testimony to the non-violent resistance practiced by Andrew Young and the other marchers. After Dr. King’s death, Andrew Young went on to become a Congressman from Georgia, the Ambassador to the UN under President Carter, and the mayor of Atlanta.
During the worship service, the pastor asked Andrew Young, “Given the extreme polarization in our nation today, where do you see signs of hope?” Without hesitation he said the following as part of his response, “If you believe God had a purpose in creating the world and that God has a purpose for your life, and if you follow that purpose everything will be alright…I believe that we can pray our nation through this.” Coming from Andrew Young, these were not spiritual platitudes but expressions of the faith that was the foundation of his life long commitment to justice and non-violence. That same faith continues to be the foundation for God’s call to justice and non-violence for each of our lives, for Cornelius Corps, and for the Church.
I am posting two pictures from Sunday’s worship service along with two video clips that focus on Andrew Young’s leadership in the St. Augustine Campaign. Please take the time to watch the videos to get a better sense for the St. Augustine Campaign and the witness of Andrew Young.
