Civil rights icon Andrew Young will grace the pulpit of West Angeles Church of God in Christ on Sunday, Dec. 3.
The world renowned statesman and ordained minister is scheduled to deliver sermons at the 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. worship services held in the West Angeles Cathedral, 3600 S. Crenshaw Blvd., in Los Angeles.
“We are honored to present Rev. Andrew Young to preach at West Angeles Church,” said Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr., COGIC presiding prelate and pastor of West Angeles.
“He served and fought for freedom and justice by the side of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was there when Dr. King was shot and killed. Since then, Rev. Young has served as a congressman, mayor of the city of Atlanta and as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.”
Young is also expected to play a pivotal role in next year’s 50th anniversary of King’s “Mountain Top” speech, which was delivered the night before his assassination in April 1968 at Mason Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis, TN. The observance will bring together leaders from around the world to strategize to advance the work of God.
A key leader during the early civil rights efforts of the 1960s, Young was the pastor of churches in Alabama and Georgia before his career thrust him into the national spotlight. In 1964, he was named executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference where he worked on and was jailed for campaigns in Birmingham, St. Augustine, Selma and Atlanta.
During the 1970s, Young was elected to three terms in Congress and was later appointed by President Jimmy Carter as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in 1977. From 1982 to 1990, he served as mayor of Atlanta.
Young remains active in several charitable health, human rights and educational causes. Also, he is the author of several books and the recipient of numerous awards and commendations.
