Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1964 address at Temple Israel marked a milestone in the congregation’s history. His Shabbat sermon — titled “Remaining Awake Through a Revolution” — helped energize local support for the national civil rights movement.
Long before King came to Westport — and in the remaining 4 years of his life — one of his top strategists and trusted friends was Andrew Young.
Andrew Young
Young’s 6 decades of activism are legendary. He was executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; played key roles in drafting and passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Voting Rights Act of 1965, and served in Congress as Georgia’s first black congressman since Reconstruction, ambassador to the United Nations, and mayor of Atlanta.
Young has been an advisor to world leaders, a noted lecturer, and a frequent television commentator.
On Tuesday, October 15 (7 p.m.), Temple Israel celebrates the 55th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s sermon by welcoming Andrew Young to the bima.
Admission is free; there is a suggested contribution to the Andrew J. Young Foundation and Temple Israel’s Tzedakah Fund. Click here to register for tickets.
The event is co-sponsored by Temple Israel, The Andrew J. Young Foundation, the Westport Weston Clergy Association, the Westport Historical Society, and TEAM Westport.