U. W. Clemon facts for kids

Uriah W. Clemon (born April 9, 1943) is a lawyer from Alabama. He used to be a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. He was one of the first ten African-American lawyers allowed to practice law in Alabama. In 1974, he became one of the first two African Americans elected to the Alabama Senate since the Reconstruction period after the Civil War.

Early Life and Education

Uriah W. Clemon was born in Fairfield, Alabama. His parents were sharecroppers, which means they farmed land owned by someone else and paid rent with a share of their crops.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miles College in 1965. This college is known as a historically black college. Because schools in Alabama were still segregated (separated by race) at the time, he could not attend the University of Alabama. Instead, the State of Alabama helped pay for him to go to Columbia University in New York. He received his law degree from Columbia Law School in 1968.

After law school, Clemon worked for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in New York from 1968 to 1969. This organization works to protect the civil rights of African Americans. From 1969 to 1980, he worked as a private lawyer in Birmingham.

Serving in the Alabama Senate

From 1975 to 1980, Uriah Clemon was a member of the Alabama Senate. He was part of the Democratic Party. He was one of the first two Black people elected to the Alabama Senate since the Reconstruction era.

Fighting for Civil Rights

As a state senator, Clemon continued his work for civil rights. He was the chairman of important committees, like the Rules Committee and later the Judiciary Committee. He spoke out against Governor George Wallace for not including Black citizens on state boards and agencies. He also opposed bringing back the death penalty in Alabama.

Becoming a Federal Judge

On January 10, 1980, President Jimmy Carter nominated Uriah Clemon to be a federal judge. He was to serve on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Some people, like Roy Moore, opposed his nomination, saying he was "soft on crime." However, Clemon was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 26, 1980. He officially became a judge on June 30, 1980. This made him Alabama's first Black federal judge.

He served as the Chief Judge for his court from 1999 to 2006. He retired from his position as a judge on January 31, 2009.

Important Cases as a Judge

As a judge, Clemon oversaw many important cases. One notable case was Ledbetter v. Goodyear. He also handled several "multi-district" cases, which involve many similar lawsuits from different places.

After His Time as a Judge

After retiring from the federal court, Clemon returned to working as a private lawyer in Birmingham. He has continued to be active in fighting against segregation in public schools.

In 2018, he worked with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to stop a plan by Gardendale, Alabama. This plan would have created a new, mostly white school system by separating from the Jefferson County school system. Clemon and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund successfully argued that this plan was unfair and based on race.

In February 2022, Clemon wrote a letter to President Joe Biden. In the letter, he shared his thoughts on the appointment of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court.

See also

• List of African-American federal judges
• List of African-American jurists
• List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Alabama