Young first came to national prominence by serving as a top aide and ordained minister to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights movement. He played a key role as a negotiator in Civil Rights protests across the South.

In 1972, Young was elected to the House of Representatives from Georgia's 5th District. After serving four years in Congress, President Jimmy Carter appointed Young as the United States' ambassador to the United Nations. He later served two terms as Atlanta's mayor and co-chaired the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. In recent years, Young has extensively worked on humanitarian efforts across the world. He is the co-founder and chair of GoodWorks International, an organization that promotes international business in Africa and the Caribbean.