Traveling exhibit details life of Andrew Young, Atlanta resident, diplomat and civil rights icon – WABE

The life, achievements and contributions of Andrew Young, the United States’ first African-American ambassador to the United Nations and invaluable aide to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., will be on display next week at the University of Mississippi.

The traveling exhibition lands Tuesday at the JD Williams Library on the Oxford campus. The public can take a look at “The Many Lives of Andrew Young” in the library’s first floor atrium through July 31. An opening reception, which Young will attend, will be held Tuesday at 4 p.m., followed by a book signing. The event is free and open to the public.

“I look forward to sharing my journey and discussing where we are in bringing diversity, equity and inclusion to all and the future of our collaborations,” Young said in a press release.

The exhibit, created by the National Monuments Foundation, chronicles Young’s life through photographs, memorabilia and his own words, based on Ernie Suggs’ book, “The Many Lives of Andrew Young.”

The James Armistead Brown Family Endowment funded the exhibition’s trip to Ole Miss, the third university to host the collection. Elizabeth Batte, librarian for outreach and strategic initiatives, said the exhibit aligns with the library’s mission to “celebrate and preserve history.”

“The life that Andrew Young lived is not only relevant to the people of Mississippi but to our entire nation,” she said. “So it’s really special for us to be able to host this.” I hope Andrew Young’s visit will help young visitors realize that this civil rights struggle didn’t happen that long ago and that these conversations are still relevant today.

The public can visit the exhibition whenever the library is open.