Birmingham, AL – Alabama's first black federal judge has resigned after nearly three decades, sending a letter to President Obama praising the nation's first black chief executive.
U.S. District Judge U.W. Clemon of Birmingham, in a letter made public Wednesday, said he was ``ecstatic'' over Obama's victory. He called it the fulfillment of a lifelong dream to see an African-American president.
Clemon is a former civil rights attorney and state senator. He wrote that it became clear to him last spring that Obama had been ordained by God to become president.
The 65-year-old Clemon will join the prominent Birmingham law firm of White Arnold & Dowd P.C. on Feb. 1.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)