Andy Young Returns to St Augustine

I think one of the reasons I was lucky enough to get former US UN ambassador and former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young to sit for an interview about (and with) Alley Pat was due to my involvement in the film "Dare Not Walk Alone." You can find it on Netflix or buy it, it is a highly recommended look at the awful civil rights battles in St Augustine Florida. As historians constantly revisit Selma or Birmingham, St Aug's story - equally compelling if not more so - just seemed to fade away.

Few historical films are all that innovative, but this is an exception.... a very compelling saga yet it is thought provoking and ethereal at times - not an eat-your-spinach type of film.

I was the Associate Producer on it, and the director Jeremy Dean has kept a blog about the film's ongoing adventure that inspired me to get a blog going about my Alley Pat Film.

Among other things, Jeremy unearthed film Andrew Young getting the crap kicked out of him on St Augustine's streets during the struggle. When Andy was in to be interviewed for Alley Pat he said to me, "I don't remember anyone filming that -- but I sure remember that it happened!"

Lately Andy has been doing a quarterly TV show, Andrew Young Presents, on in about 100 markets. And this week, his crew is in St Aug doing their own hour on the saga, and Andy will fly in Tues and Wed - actually fly to Jacksonville, 90 mins away. There will be an event or two, and maybe a screening. He has rarely been back there since '66.

I was trying to get down there myself to take in all this interesting history - but right in the middle of the work week it'd be tricky, and costly.

Then, an idea. I phoned the Exec Producer and said look, I know St Aug very well, own property there etc, and for the money you'll spend sending a limo to JAX and back to get him, you could fly me down on AYs flight and I'd be Andy's handler/driver from JAX to St Aug and back.

So, done deal, gonna happen, tomorrow. I mean the gentleman is a living history book. I am lucky to get to spend time with him. Should be a very interesting two days.

Will effort to bring you updates here.