On May 22, 1964, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was welcomed to Temple Israel in Westport. That night he delivered a historic Shabbat sermon entitled, “Remaining Awake Through a Revolution.” This was a key moment in the history of Temple Israel and of Westport. Dr. King’s partner in leading the Civil Right Movement, during this event and also throughout the Civil Rights Campaigns in Birmingham, St. Augustine, Selma, and Atlanta, was his top strategist & trusted friend, Andrew Young.
Temple Israel is proud to welcome Ambassador Young, an icon of the Civil Rights movement, to its bima on October 15 at 7:30pm, in celebration of the 55th anniversary of Dr. King’s address. Ambassador Young’s keynote address will build on the themes of Dr. King’s 1964 sermon. Admission is free; there will be a suggested contribution to the Andrew J. Young Foundation and Temple Israel’s Tzedakah Fund. This event is co-sponsored by Temple Israel Westport, The Andrew J. Young Foundation, The Westport Weston Clergy Association, The Westport Historical Society, and Team Westport.
Andrew Young served as executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He played a key role in drafting and passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Young went on to serve in Congress as the first African American to represent Georgia since Reconstruction. He was named United States Ambassador to the United Nations in 1977 and was elected Mayor of Atlanta in 1981. Sought after as an advisor to world leaders, as a speaker on the lecture circuit, and a frequent commentator on CNN and other news channels, Ambassador Young is a keen observer of politics and world events. Learn more about Andrew Young: andrewyoung.org/andrew-young