Civil Rights icon Andrew Young returns to St. Augustine to commemorate 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Civil Rights icon and longtime leader Andrew Young returned to St. Augustine Mon., July 1 to showcase his new movie and book.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

Action News spoke with the civil rights leader who said 1964 was one of the most important days of his life.

Young was one of the key figures in the passage of the Landmark Civil Rights Act.

He worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He helped negotiate the 1963 Birmingham desegregation agreement, and he helped lead the Poor Peoples Campaign.

Now, he’s returned to St. Augustine to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act and to showcase part three of his movie “Crossing in St. Augustine” and his book “The Many Lives of Andrew Young.”

READ: New exhibition in memory of the Civil Rights Movement comes to St. Augustine Beach

“He’s presenting his 2010 ‘Crossing in St. Augustine’ which he has updated. He has a special commemorative edition for the Accord Civil Rights Museum,” member of Accord Civil Rights Museum Dr. Priscila Duncan said.

Young has this to say about his film.

“The impact was not the film it was. The impact was the facts.”

One of those facts was when Young was crossing King Street and St. George Street to enter the plaza when he was beaten and kicked by white protesters.

Young said after he was beaten, he thought there was going to be retaliation.

“Instead of people being angry, they started singing “I Love Everybody.” I love everybody in my heart, and I feel the love of Jesus in my heart,” according to Young.

READ: 60 years since acid poured into pool filled with Civil Rights activists in St. Augustine

A local follower of Civil Rights history said the untold story of the civil rights activists in St. Augustine needs to be heard.

“People have given their lives, hearts, and souls for rights that are not under siege. It’s really important to get these stories out,” Civil Rights follower Marty Dobrow said.

The 92-year-old Young has a street named after him in St.  Augustine called “Andrew Young Crossing” to honor his legacy.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.