▁an ▁American ▁politician , ▁diplom at , ▁and ▁activ ist . ▁Begin ning ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁past or , ▁Young ▁was ▁an ▁early ▁leader ▁in ▁the ▁civil ▁rights ▁movement , ▁serving ▁as ▁executive ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Southern ▁Christian ▁Le ad ership ▁Conference ▁( S CLC ) ▁and ▁a ▁close ▁conf id ant ▁to ▁Martin ▁Luther ▁King ▁Jr . ▁Young ▁later ▁became ▁active ▁in ▁politics , ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁U . S . ▁Congress man ▁from ▁Georgia , ▁United ▁States ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁in ▁the ▁Carter ▁Administration , ▁and ▁ 5 5 th ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Atlanta . ▁Since ▁leaving ▁office , ▁Young ▁has ▁founded ▁or ▁served ▁in ▁many ▁organizations ▁working ▁on ▁issues ▁of ▁public ▁policy ▁and ▁political ▁lo bb ying . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Andrew ▁Young ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁in ▁New ▁Orleans , ▁to ▁D ais y ▁Young , ▁a ▁school te acher , ▁and ▁Andrew ▁Jackson ▁Young ▁Sr ., ▁a ▁dent ist . ▁Young ' s ▁father ▁h ired ▁a ▁professional ▁box er ▁to ▁teach ▁Andrew ▁and ▁his ▁brother ▁to ▁defend ▁themselves . ▁In ▁a ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁interview ▁with ▁author ▁Robert ▁P enn ▁Warren ▁for ▁his ▁book , ▁Who ▁Spe aks ▁for ▁the ▁Neg ro ?, ▁Young ▁rec alls ▁the ▁t ensions ▁of ▁seg reg ation ▁in ▁New ▁Orleans , ▁especially ▁growing ▁up ▁in ▁a ▁fairly ▁well - to - do ▁household . ▁He ▁rec alls ▁his ▁parents ▁trying ▁to ▁" comp ens ate ▁for