Video Related To: Andrew Young

www.cbc.ca Andrew Young is one of the most influential African-American political leaders of our time. Born in New Orleans, he graduated from high school at 15, got a degree from Howard University and ended up as a pastor in Alabama. Along the way, Young became involved in the civil rights movement, eventually becoming one of Martin Luther King Jr's closest advisors. After Dr. King was killed in 1968, Young ran for Congress and served four years in the House of Representatives - as a Democrat. No small achievement, especially considering he was the first black congressman from Georgia in 100 years. Then in 1977, another first. Under President Jimmy Carter, Andrew became the first African American to serve as US ambassador to the United Nations. In 1981, he was elected mayor of Atlanta - one of the poorest cities in America at the time. But as mayor through the '80s, Young turned things around. He brought in billions of dollars in private investment and helped secure the '96 Olympics. In recent years, he's shifted his focus. Young is producing documentaries. His latest project is called 'Walking With Guns.'