Rep. Justin Pearson denied entry to Tennessee redistricting committee meeting

Rep. Justin J. Pearson was blocked from entering a Tennessee Senate redistricting committee meeting by the sergeant at arms at the Cordell Hull State Office Building in Nashville on May 6, 2026. The incident occurred on the second day of a special legislative session on redistricting, after which Pearson delivered a defiant speech outside the meeting and vowed to stay and fight for his Memphis constituents. The denial matters because the redistricting plans under consideration would redraw congressional lines and could shift voting power and representation for Memphis and other communities of color.