Just hours after laying a colleague to rest, Memphis lawmakers — now effectively a man down in the Tennessee General Assembly — gathered to confront what they call a new threat to Black political power: a push to redraw the state’s congressional map.
That warning came shortly before Republican Gov. Bill Lee called a special session of the General Assembly to revisit Tennessee’s congressional map, a move critics say could target the state’s only majority-Black district centered in Memphis.
The push follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision that critics say weakens protections under the Voting Rights Act, potentially opening the door for states to redraw districts in ways that dilute minority voting strength.
Speaking at the National Civil Rights Museum, a coalition that included U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen and members of the Tennessee Black Caucus — without the late State Rep. G.A. Hardaway, who was funeralized Friday, May 1, — warned that the decision threatens to dilute the political voice of Memphis, home to the state’s only majority-Black congressional district.
Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District, represented by Steve Cohen, is the only Democratic-held seat in the state’s congressional delegation.
“This is ground zero,” Cohen said, invoking the legacy of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Movement. “Civil rights are being attacked … taking away potentially a goodly half of African American representation in the United States Congress.”
Within hours of the court’s decision on April 29 essentially declaring that race could not be considered in of drawing congressional district lines, Lee confirmed that lawmakers would return to Nashville for a special session beginning Tuesday, May 5 to “review” Tennessee’s congressional map, citing the need to ensure districts remain “fair, legal and defensible.”
But critics , many of whom had already gathered anticipating such a move, said the timing and motivation raise deeper concerns.
‘A political power grab’
State Sen. Raumesh Akbari said the issue rises above partisan politics and should concern every voter.
“Because we’re not just talking about making this an all-Republican district. We’re talking about diluting a power base,” she said. “Proposed maps, which are not legit, but they’re proposed, stretch the district all the way up to Kentucky. How does that help rural folks? How does that help urban folks? How does that help Tennessee function better?”
State Sen. London Lamar went even further and did not mince words.
“This effort is not normal. It’s not about good government or fair representation,” she said. “It’s a political power grab. It’s voter suppression in real time … an attack on Memphis Black voters.”
Her remarks came as lawmakers pointed to the state’s 9th Congressional District, anchored in Memphis, as a likely target if lines are redrawn.
“You cannot move the finish line after the race has already started,” Lamar added, noting that candidate qualifying deadlines for upcoming elections have already passed.
Akbari also questioned the legality of changing district lines mid-election cycle, pointing to prior court precedent that warned against disrupting active elections.
“This is not a partisan issue. It’s an issue of democracy … fairness … legacy,” Akbari said. “For the General Assembly to contemplate this move is unconscionable.”
Blackburn: ‘We must cement Donald Trump’s agenda’
Once more, President Trump seems to pick up the phone to call on Gov. Bill Lee to make something happen. Last fall it was about sending the National Guard to Memphis. Now, it’s redistricting.
“I had a very good conversation with Gov. Bill Lee,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after the ruling. “He stated he would work hard to correct the unconstitutional flaw in the Congressional Maps …. Thank you Gov. Lee — PUSH HARD!”
Marsha Blackburn: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1B3KhMQ6vi/
Justin Pearson: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1C3tHcCuEm/
Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, also a candidate for Tennessee governor, has released a proposed redistricting map on social media that extends District 9 to the Kentucky state line. She called for legislators to act immediately to “cement Donald J. Trump’s agenda and the Golden Age of America.”
She doubled down on those comments on a video released Friday.
“Now that we’re on the other side of this Louisiana decision, it is time for us to redraw these maps,” she said. “It is time for us to cement President Trump’s agenda. That is what the American people voted for. Tennesseans want to make certain that we keep Tennessee red, that we are America’s conservative leader. And thank you, President Trump, for supporting these efforts.”
History, memory and warning
The May 1 press conference carried added weight, coming just after services for longtime lawmaker Hardaway, a fixture in Memphis politics and a fierce advocate for voting rights. State Rep. Karen Camper invoked that legacy — and the generations before him — in stark terms.
“That decision gives license … to code racism and white supremacy,” Camper said. “People fought in wars for this country and couldn’t vote … and now we’re here.”
She called for “operational unity” among advocates, lawmakers and the public, urging a coordinated response if redistricting moves forward.
Shelby County Democratic Party Chair Willie Simon warned that the implications stretch beyond Memphis.
“Once it happens here, it can happen anywhere,” Simon said. “We’re having conversations about whether we’re able to vote … in a place where we pay taxes.”
A new generation, same fight
Among those raising concerns is state Rep. Justin J. Pearson, who is also running to unseat Cohen in Congress — yet stands aligned with him on the issue of protecting District 9.
“This is an attack on Black political power … and on the ability of minority communities to choose representatives,” Pearson said in a video message following the ruling.
Pearson tied the moment to a broader rollback of federal protections and ongoing challenges to the Voting Rights Act.
“District 9 exists because of a history of racism … and the Voting Rights Act guaranteed representation in communities like ours,” he said. “We’re not going to quit. We’re not going to bow down.”
He also called for mobilization, announcing canvassing efforts and rallies aimed at defending the district.
What comes next
With the special session set to begin May 5, lawmakers are expected to debate whether — and how — to redraw congressional lines in a compressed timeline that could collide with ongoing election preparations.
Democratic leaders say they are preparing for a multi-front fight — inside the legislature, in the courts and in the streets. For many gathered at the Civil Rights Museum, the stakes are clear.
“Memphis is not a bargaining chip,” Lamar said. “Black voting power is not a loophole. Memphis will not be carved out without a fight.”
And if the lines are redrawn, she added, the response will be just as forceful.
“We are always outnumbered,” Akbari said. “But we still keep fighting.”
The meeting will be live-streamed here: Voter’s Rights Town Hall Meeting 2026
