Dr. Andrew Young Named CSCAA’s Charles McCaffree Award Winner
Dr. Andrew Young, a Howard University alum and trailblazer for Black swimming in America, is the 2024 recipient of the CSCAA’s Charles McCaffree Award.
The award from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America recognizes “a swimming or diving graduate who has achieved outstanding success outside of the pool.” Young, a Congressman from Georgia in the 1970s who was appointed the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and served eight years as Atlanta’s mayor, swam at Howard University before his lengthy political career.
Young, who will turn 92 in March, swam at Howard in the 1950s. As mayor of Atlanta, he allocated more than $1 million to increase citywide access to pools, particularly for its Black citizens. An advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King and the executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during the civil rights movement, Young was appointed ambassador by President Jimmy Carter, and he played a significant role in helping Atlanta land the 1996 Summer Olympics.
“Andrew Young’s influence resonates deeply within Howard University, the swimming community, and across the nation,” Howard head coach Nic Askew said in a university statement. “I am constantly inspired and grateful for the opportunity to learn from Mr. Young. Sharing news of his well-deserved award was a profound honor. We are all enriched by his enduring impact.”
Among Young’s numerous other accolades is the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s Gold Medallion Award, the first Black recipient when it was bestowed upon him in 1992.
“Andrew Young’s influence extends far beyond the boundaries of the swimming community,” CSCAA Executive Director Samantha Barany said in a press release. “His pivotal role as a civil rights advocate, aiding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and contributing to the drafting of both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 had a profound impact on all of society. As a swimmer at Howard University during an era marked by racial segregation in pools, his journey serves as inspiration whose significance may not be fully grasped. It is with immense pride and respect that we acknowledge the remarkable achievements of Andrew Young.”
Young will be presented the award at the 63rd annual CSCAA College Swimming and Diving Awards, at the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis on May 6.
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with the CSCAA. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.