About Clay Nimoy Middleton

Clay is a native Charlestonian. He is the proud son of Donna R. Simmons and Henry Clay Middleton. He grew up in Bayside Manor and attended both private and public schools. Clay is a member of St. Luke R.E. Church where Rev. Dr. Julius Barnes is pastor. In 1999, Clay graduated from Burke High School as an honor graduate. At Burke, Clay was the Regimental Commander of the Burke and Garrett High School JROTC program and Student Body President. He also was the State Master Knight for the Masonic Order Youth Group – Knights of Pythagoras.

Clay matriculated to The Citadel where he graduated with departmental honors in Political Science in 2003. At The Citadel, Clay was President of the Gospel Choir, the African American Society, a cadet first lieutenant, opinion editor of the school’s newspaper, and a student representative to the school’s Human Affairs Committee. He was commissioned from ROTC in 2003 as a second lieutenant in the S.C. Army National Guard. He later graduated from the U.S. Army Signal Officer Basic Course.

After graduating from The Citadel, Clay began to work full-time for Congressman James E. Clyburn as a caseworker. May 2005, Clay returned from a year-long tour of duty in Iraq where he was the officer in charge at Taji where he led a successful mission to: established and maintained 24-hour Direct Office of Information Management (DOIM) for command and control voice and data communications; managed critical post strategic commercialization transition and commercialization projects; developed, oversaw, and dispersed a $200 million dollar budget for building renovations, Tech Control Facility operational improvements, and DOIM compound enhancements; managed in excess of $2 million of communication equipment, and lead a unit of 46 soldiers and civilians.

Upon returning from his tour of duty, Clay received a diploma in Political Education from Morgan State University – Congressional Black Caucus Political Leadership Institute. Clay worked as a Regional Field Director for the S.C. Democratic Party in a partnership with the Democratic National Committee. Currently, Clay is the Lowcountry Coordinator for Congressman James E. Clyburn - Majority Whip U.S. House of Representatives, and a Captain in the S.C. Army National Guard as a Battalion Staff Officer.

His awards and honors include: Certificate of Honor as acknowledgement of outstanding achievement in oratorical speaking, Designated An Outstanding Spokesman For Freedom by The Veterans of Foreign Wars Association Charleston, SC, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity’s Achievement Award, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity Gamma Lambda Boule Leadership Award, City of Charleston proclaimed April 30, 1999 Clay N. Middleton’s Day, Superior Performance Certificate in Basic Training, The Adjutant General Corps Regimental Association Medal of Excellence in Advance Individual Training, Bronze Star Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, South Carolina Palmetto Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the 2007 MOJA Arts Festival Rising Star Award.

Clay’s activities and memberships include: Board of Directors Member for the Charleston Youth Leadership Council Beaux Affair Rites of Passage Program, Charleston Junior Golf Foundation, Charleston Area Community Development Corporation, Greater Charleston Empowerment Corporation and Economic Development Committee Chairman, City of Charleston Homeownership Initiative Commission, Charleston Development Academy Charter School Governance Board, Chairman- Lawrence A. Holt Endowment Fund, Veterans and Military Families for Progress - Government Affairs and Operations/Projects Committee Member, National Guard Association of South Carolina Executive Council, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors – Carolina Empowerment Group, Charleston Chapter and Life Member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Free and Accepted Mason - Gothic Lodge #212, Life Member of The Citadel Alumni Association, and NAACP Charleston Branch Member.