The rain couldn’t keep Bogalusa from recently recognizing a key figure in its history of civil rights.

On Friday, public officials and community members came together at the home of A.Z. Young, installing a new sign detailing the historical significance of the house on Young Brothers Road.

Young was a veteran of World War II and a key figure in the civil rights struggle in Washington Parish. He later served as an executive assistant for Gov. Edwin Edwards and was the first black citizen to lie in state at the statehouse.

It was good to see public officials attend Friday’s ceremony, including State Rep. Malinda White, Sheriff Randy Seal and Bogalusa City Council member Gloria Kates. Kates and Seal presented Young’s family with a proclamation and plaque, and White announced that she will pursue a state resolution recognizing Young in the future.

Considering the national atmosphere of heated race relations, it was wonderful to see the city come together to honor one of its own.

Young’s legacy is not only a story for the black community, but it is a part of Bogalusa’s history that we should all celebrate and remember.