The Many Lives of Andrew Young
Hartford International University for Religion and Peace
Hartford
Nov. 4, 2026
My favorite picture of Andrew Jackson Young is the photo above. It’s from the ongoing exhibit The Many Lives of Andrew Young, located at the Hartford International University for Religion and Peace. Jackson is securing donkeys for a demonstration as part of the Poor People’s Campaign.
The picture is emblematic of a man who worked for the benefit of others, whether that meant corralling livestock or speaking up for people being denied their basic rights as Americans.
“Many Lives” is an apt name for the celebration of one of the university’s (formerly Hartford Seminary) most distinguished graduates. Minister, civil rights leader, Congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, mayor of Atlanta … Young didn’t just lead many lives. He led lives of consequence.
Cataloging the many accomplishments of Young takes two rooms at the university. The exhibit consists of posters showing images of Young throughout his life, samples of his writing and speeches, and historical documents and other context to help visitors understand the times Young lived through.
Honestly, it’s a bit overwhelming, but in the best way. At first glance, the various careers Young pursued in his life seem like a hodgepodge. Then a throughline of service and strategy becomes clear. The exhibit chronicles Young's evolution. He was always a leader, but his change came in his approach to solving the problems of poverty and segregation. He moved from advocacy to activism, then went into government to “bring the movement to politics.” Even there he kept evolving, from national legislative influence to local executive power.
While the exhibit makes Young’s deep humanism and spirituality its focus, it also celebrates his political savvy. The story of how he used years’ worth of personal connections from his time in Congress and at the United Nations to win the bid for Atlanta to host the centennial Olympic Games reveals a shrewd political operator who could make friends and knew when to call in favors to get things done.
Young should be a model for present-day civil rights activists, especially as we live through a political era that is seeing the systematic undoing of the legislation and protections he helped to achieve. He represents an ideal nexus of where idealism meets pragmatism. He managed to offer inspirational leadership and practical strategy for making tangible gains; in the social media environment, there are plenty of people making claims to the former without offering any of the latter.
The sad truth is I’d never heard of Andrew Young until I visited the exhibit at the university. One of the most important leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, a mayor and a Congressman, got some of that training and knowledge right here in Hartford. I’m thankful to the university for teaching me about this history. It’s a starting point for me to learn more about Young; I hope it serves the same role for many more people.
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The Many Lives of Andrew Young will be on display at the Hartford International University for Religion and Peace through Dec. 10.
Jamil goes to a concert honoring Polish composer Henryk Wieniawski.
