Crowd Cheers in Memphis as Justin Pearson Reinstated to Tennessee Legislature

Supporters of the expelled Democratic lawmaker Justin Pearson celebrated in Memphis, Tennessee, on Wednesday, April 12, after Shelby County officials voted to reinstate Pearson to the Tennessee House of Representatives.

Pearson was one of two Black Democratic lawmakers, along with Rep Justin Jones of Nashville, who were expelled from the state legislature after joining a protest over gun violence following a deadly school shooting in Nashville on March 27.

On Monday, Rep Jones walked back onto the house floor after Nashville’s city council voted to reinstate him. Credit: Rep Gloria Johnson via Storyful

Video transcript

TEKEILA RUCKER: Full stops, a method commonly used to discriminate and target Black drivers. I say all that to say that you can target a leader, but you can't stop a movement.

[CHEERING]

- Whoo.

- No ever.

TEKEILA RUCKER: What's he say? My name is Tekeila Rucker and I serve as the political organizer with Memphis for All. Memphis for All stands for solidarity, democracy, and justice, inside and outside of the ballot box.

- I'm so proud of you, honey.

TEKEILA RUCKER: Since 2018 we worked hard to elect progressive leaders, such as Mayor Lee Harris, Councilwoman Michalyn Easter-Thomas, District Attorney Steve Mulroy, and Representative Justin Pearson.

[APPLAUSE]

TEKEILA RUCKER: Leaders who are willing to take our demands into the halls of government and turn them into policy and won't stand by and watch idly as we are being--