The Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk’s Office hosted a special unveiling ceremony for family, friends and colleagues in observance of Black History Month.
MEMPHIS, TN — Surrounded by dozens of people who knew, respected and loved Judge D’Army Bailey, the Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk’s office unveiled a new portrait of the prominent Memphis judge and civil rights activist on Friday.
The ceremony, held at the courthouse that bears Judge Bailey’s name, was a keystone event in the office’s observance of Black History Month.
General Sessions Court Clerk Tamara A. Sawyer welcomed guests following the singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Black National Anthem.
She relayed a story of Judge Bailey sharing advice with her on a chance encounter when she was a “baby activist,” starting out on her path as a community and civic leader.
“Here was a man who had made his career marrying … activism, politics and business, and I am ever grateful to have him as an example of what it means to use your voice in a brave way and also use your position to make change,” said Clerk Sawyer.
The Bailey family selected local visual artist and muralist Jamond Bullock for the portrait, which will remain on display at the Judge D’Army Bailey Courthouse, 140 Adams Avenue.
“Today is a reflection of my father’s legacy,” said Justin Bailey, attorney and eldest son of Judge Bailey, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 73. “Dad left a long-lasting impact on the city of Memphis and around the world.”
Judge Bailey grew up in South Memphis and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School. He received his B.A. from Clark University in Worcester, Mass., and his J.D. from Yale Law School. He served in Tennessee’s 13th Judicial District from 1990 to 2009 and from 2014 to 2015.
Along with his extensive legal career, Judge Bailey is known as an author, actor and community activist who fought to save the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, and established it as the National Civil Rights Museum.
