City Councilwoman Miriam Witherspoon Dies

Bradley George | April 21, 2009

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2009/04/mwitherspoon.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:242;s:6:"height";i:209;s:4:"file";s:24:"2009/04/mwitherspoon.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:3:{s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"mwitherspoon-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"mwitherspoon-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:24:"mwitherspoon-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:0;s:14:"optimized_size";i:0;s:7:"percent";i:0;}s:5:"sizes";a:1:{s:4:"full";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => already_optimized
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

)
1620015748 
1240272000

Birmingham City Council President Pro Tem Miriam Witherspoon is dead. She became ill Monday night, and family friend Municipal Court Judge Brendette Brown-Green took her to St. Vincents Hospital emergency room. Witherspoon died there this morning. At a press conference this afternoon, Brown-Green said Witherspoon spent her last moments in service to the citizens of Birmingham.

Note: Audio courtesy of Fox 6

Witherspoon was a passionate advocate for disability rights during her time in city government. Her dedication to the issue came after a 1988 car accident that left her confined to a wheelchair. Jeff Underwood is president of the Lakeshore Foundation, an organization committed to helping people with physical disabilities.

~ Bradley George, April 21, 2009.