The crowd was in awe as Ambassador Andrew Young made his way to the front of CAU's Davage Auditorium.

Ambassador Andrew Young Unveils Historic Documentary at CAU

Civil Rights Leader Also Urges Students to Become Economists Instead of Politicians

By: Anastasia Semien

Posted: 2/2/10

Clark Atlanta University was bestowed the honor of hosting the premiere of Civil Rights legend Andrew Young's documentary "Crossing St. Augustine" to a standing room only crowd on Jan. 19.

This brutal Florida march, which happened in 1964, is one of the most overlooked components of the Civil Rights Movement but also one of the most significant, Young said.

"The next few minutes may very well have changed the outcome of the entire Civil Rights Movement. I know they changed my life forever as you will see in graphic detail," he said in the documentary.

After the showing, Young also shared some insight on how he felt about college students wanting to become politicians. "Don't waste your time," he said. "All of the problems in politics are economics and if you really want to make a contribution to your future, get you a Ph.D. in Economics."

"Because just as we had to rewrite the voting rights laws and segregation laws, we hadn't even started rewriting the economic laws. And that's why you have to do your part of the movement. And this [documentary] is just to let you know that the struggle continues," Young said.

The documentary revealed rare footage of Young being attacked by an angry white mob of citizens and policemen as he tried to reason with them to let him and a group of marchers through to the other side.

He was knocked unconscious and was viciously stomped and kicked in the head while he lay on the ground.

"It was the closest I've ever come to walking through the shadow of death," Young said.

This march, which technically was not supposed to happen because Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had sent Young to postpone it, sparked a response from Washington and helped to create a local and national domino effect in the Civil Rights Movement, which ultimately ended up in the passing of the legislation that many cherish today.

Young said that he will be presenting the documentary at Flagler College in St. Augustine on Feb. 9. Flagler College owns what used to be the Ponce de Leon Hotel, the site for many of the civil rights protests of that city.

"We're going try to continue the healing and growth process," Young said.

The MLK March Committee, the Andrew Young Foundation and Peachtree TV presented this special screening.