Birmingham Recognizes Retired Judge U.W. Clemon During Annual ‘AWAKEN 2024’

By Barnett Wright The Birmingham Times The City of Birmingham on Friday paid tribute to retired Judge U.W. Clemon during its annual “AWAKEN 2024” at the Birmingham Museum of Art. “I’m deeply honored. I feel like the proverbial prophet who is honored in his hometown, that seldom happens,” Clemon told The Birmingham Times. “I am eternally grateful to the mayor and the city for this great honor.” The honor comes less than two weeks before one of the most consequential U.S. Presidential elections in recent memory. Clemon has always been a proponent on the importance of voting. “The AWAKEN program properly recognizes that the vote is the crown jewel in democracy,” Clemon said. “Without the vote we have no voice. It’s been a struggle throughout our existence … it’s been a struggle to gain the vote and to protect it. But they are struggles well worth fighting because without the vote we have no hope.” From left: Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin; Moderator, Anchor CBS 42, Sherri Jackson; Judge U. W. Clemon; U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell and Alabama State Director for Woke Vote, Ja’Nise Gentry. (Sym Posey, The Birmingham Times) Clemon also took part in a panel discussion that included Birmingham...