Yesterday, we in Alabama welcomed 60 brand new United States citizens, from 30 different countries! Thanks to Nick Patterson from the Birmingham Museum of Art, I was invited to photograph the first U.S. Naturalization Ceremony ever held outside a federal courthouse in our district! The Honorable Sharon Lovelace Blackburn, Chief United States District Judge, presided and what a moving ceremony it was. I'll admit I got tears in my eyes when those men and women raised their hands and took the oath. Earlier I had a delightful time photographing many of them with their proud families. The Daughters of the American Revolution and the Colonial Dames of America were on hand to give out flags and lapel pins for everyone. A great day to be an American! I have many more photographs to share, but this one spoke to me as the very essence of this day
May I just say once again, what a special privilege it is for me to do this blog and be a part of the extraordinary things going on in my city each and every day.