Justin J. Pearson Explained

Justin J. Pearson
State House:Tennessee
District:86th
Term Start:April 12, 2023
Predecessor:Himself
Term Start1:February 9, 2023
Term End1:April 6, 2023
Predecessor1:Barbara Cooper
Successor1:Himself
Birth Name:Justin Jamal Pearson
Birth Date:7 January 1995
Birth Place:Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Education:Bowdoin College (BA)

Justin Jamal Pearson (; born January 7, 1995)[1] is an American activist and politician.[2] He is a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing the 86th district, covering parts of the city of Memphis. He was elected in a January 2023 special election to succeed Barbara Cooper, who was posthumously re-elected in the November 2022 Tennessee House of Representatives election after dying in October 2022. When he was sworn into office at the age of 28, Pearson became the third youngest lawmaker serving in the Tennessee House of Representatives.

He and fellow state representative Justin Jones were expelled in April 2023, for violating decorum rules by participating in a gun control protest on the House floor. He was reappointed by a unanimous vote of the members present at the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.

Early life and education

Pearson was born in Memphis, Tennessee.[3] [4] His father was a preacher and his mother a teacher. When he was 11 years old, his family moved to the Washington, D.C. area while his father pursued a master's degree at Howard University.[5] Four years later, the family returned to Memphis, where Justin was shocked by the contrast between his previous high school in Centreville, Virginia and his new school, which was conspicuously underfunded. At Mitchell High School in inner-city Memphis, Pearson became active in student government, lobbied for textbooks and Advanced Placement classes, and joined the debate team. He graduated as valedictorian of his high school class.

In 2017, Pearson graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine,[6] majoring in Government & Legal Studies with a minor in Education Studies.[7] While at Bowdoin, he was a Mellon Mays fellow and was accepted to the summer public policy institute at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.

Environmental activism

In 2020, Pearson co-founded the environmental advocacy group Memphis Community Against Pollution (originally Memphis Community Against the Pipeline), one of two local groups that joined in a successful effort to cancel construction of the Byhalia Pipeline.[8] A portion of the 49adj=midNaNadj=mid pipeline would pass through poor black neighborhoods in south Memphis, as well as over the Memphis sand aquifer, which provides water to residents in the Memphis area.[9]

Political career

Pearson ran in the January 24, 2023 Democratic primary for a special election to succeed Barbara Cooper in the Tennessee House of Representatives. Cooper died on October 25, 2022; in November 2022, she was posthumously re-elected with 74% of the vote.[10] Because no Republicans or independents filed to run for the seat, the primary victor was ensured victory in the special general election. Pearson won the ten-person primary with 52.3% of the vote.[11] The next day, he was unanimously appointed and sworn into the vacant office by the Memphis City Council as the interim representative prior to the uncontested March 24, 2023 special general election.[12] Pearson became the second youngest lawmaker currently serving in the Tennessee House of Representatives.[13] [14]

Following the killing of Tyre Nichols, a black photographer assaulted by Memphis police during a January 2023 traffic stop, Pearson stated that he intended to introduce a bill to prevent police officers with criminal records from transferring across departments. He blamed inadequate police training, policies, and culture as contributing factors.[15] Pearson said he would serve on the Criminal Justice Committee of the Tennessee House of Representatives.

Pearson was sworn in on February 9, 2023.[16] While being sworn into the house, he wore a dashiki,[17] a traditional West African garment.[18] Tennessee House Republican David B. Hawk commented that dress norms for the House are a way to demonstrate respect, specifically mentioning that a tie was expected,[19] and Tennessee House Republicans tweeted to Pearson "perhaps you should explore a different career opportunity".[20]

Protest and expulsion

See main article: 2023 Tennessee House of Representatives expulsions. After the 2023 Covenant School shooting in Nashville that killed three nine-year-olds and three employees, Pearson joined a March 30 protest for gun control reform at the state capitol alongside Gloria Johnson and Justin Jones.[21] Pearson, Johnson and Jones were dubbed by their supporters as "The Tennessee Three", and the Tennessee House voted on whether to expel the three members, which requires a two-thirds majority or 66 votes.[22] Pearson was expelled by a vote of 6926; Jones, who is also black, was expelled by 7225. Johnson, who is white, was spared her ouster by just one vote, 65–30.[23] In his final address to the House before his expulsion, Pearson compared his removal from the chamber to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.[24] On April 7, 2023, Vice President Kamala Harris visited with the trio, echoing President Joe Biden who had called them earlier, saying, "Punishing lawmakers who joined thousands of peaceful protesters calling for action" is "shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent."[25]

On April 12, six days after his expulsion, Pearson was reappointed to the Tennessee House following a unanimous vote by the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.[26]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/456793/Justin_J_Pearson.html Former State Rep. Justin Pearson
  2. Web site: 2023-04-05 . Justin J. Pearson - Representatives - TN General Assembly . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230405205700/https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/legislatorinfo/member.aspx?district=H86 . 2023-04-05 . 2023-04-07 .
  3. Web site: About Justin . Justin J. Pearson for State Representative . February 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230209132751/https://www.votejustinj.com/about . February 9, 2023 . live.
  4. Web site: 2015-02-23 . Justin J. Pearson: The Man, the Myth, the Legend . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230409114142/https://www.hercampus.com/school/bowdoin/justin-j-pearson-man-myth-legend/ . April 9, 2023 . 2023-04-10 . www.hercampus.com . en-US.
  5. Web site: Goldfine . Rebecca . February 17, 2016 . Justin Pearson '17 Wins Princeton Policy Fellowship . February 28, 2023 . Bowdoin . February 28, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230228165448/https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2016/02/justin-pearson-17-wins-princeton-policy-fellowship.html . live .
  6. News: Coleman . Alex . Justin Pearson becomes one of TN's youngest lawmakers . February 9, 2023 . . January 26, 2023. Originally published January 25, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230128192911/https://wreg.com/news/local/justin-j-pearson-becomes-one-of-youngest-lawmakers-in-tn/ . January 28, 2023. live.
  7. Web site: Camp Hope Founder Justin Pearson '17 On Serving the Underserved Bowdoin College . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221204113904/https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2015/03/camp-hope-founder-justin-pearson-17-on-serving-the-underserved.html . 2022-12-04 . 2023-04-07 .
  8. Web site: Training for Change . 2022-11-28 . The Craft of Campaigns: A Podcast for Organisers . 2023-07-05 . The Commons Social Change Library . en-AU.
  9. News: Sainz . Adrian . Oil pipeline builder agrees to halt eminent domain lawsuits . February 9, 2023 . . May 4, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221208154111/https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-eminent-domain-environment-and-nature-business-496db66d24878234a263f516f898aed1 . December 8, 2022 . en.
  10. https://ballotpedia.org/Justin_Pearson_(Tennessee) Justin Pearson
  11. Web site: Mitchell . Dr Sybil C. . 2023-01-26 . In a runaway, Justin Pearson snares District 86 victory . 2023-04-28 . TSDMemphis.com . en-US.
  12. Web site: January 25, 2023 . Justin J. Pearson wins special election to fill House District 86 seat . 2023-04-28 . The Commercial Appeal . en-US.
  13. News: Martin . Michel . January 29, 2023 . Tennessee state Rep. Justin J. Pearson on Tyre Nichols killing . National Public Radio . live . March 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230301080445/https://www.npr.org/2023/01/29/1152428458/tennessee-state-rep-justin-j-pearson-on-tyre-nichols-killing . March 1, 2023.
  14. News: Dries . Bill . Pearson heading to Nashville after appointment to state House seat . February 9, 2023 . . January 25, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230126022548/https://dailymemphian.com/section/metroelections/article/33728/memphis-shelby-county-tennessee-state-district-82-justin-pearson-heading-to-nashville . January 26, 2023.
  15. News: Royer . David . MPD 'hiring failure' blamed in Tyre Nichols death . February 9, 2023 . . January 31, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230202022004/https://wreg.com/news/local/tyre-nichols/gibbons-blames-mpd-hiring-failure-in-tyre-nichols-death/ . February 2, 2023.
  16. News: Mann . Niko . Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson Wears Dashiki During His Swearing-In Ceremony. Told to 'Consider a New Career' or Follow the Rules — Except There Are None. . February 18, 2023 . . February 14, 2023 . February 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230218210041/https://atlantablackstar.com/2023/02/14/new-tennessee-state-rep-justin-j-pearson-wears-dashiki-during-his-swearing-in-ceremony-calls-republican-a-white-supremacist-for-pointing-out-assemblys-dress-code/ . live .
  17. Web site: Gamble . Justin . February 17, 2023 . Tennessee state representative responds to backlash over wearing African dashiki to swearing-in ceremony . February 21, 2023 . CNN . en . February 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230221044945/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/16/us/tennessee-state-rep-responds-backlash-african-dashiki-reaj/index.html . live .
  18. Web site: Wolff . Norma H . Dashiki . live . February 21, 2023 . June 30, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220630171231/https://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/clothing-types-styles/dashiki .
  19. Web site: Mintzer . Adam . February 13, 2023 . After wearing traditional garment on the Tennessee house floor, lawmaker told to look for a new career . February 21, 2023 . The Hill . en-US . February 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230221045408/https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/3856214-after-wearing-traditional-garment-on-the-tennessee-house-floor-lawmaker-told-to-look-for-a-new-career/ . live .
  20. Web site: Gainey . Blaise . February 10, 2023 . A new Tennessee lawmaker walks into the capitol wearing a dashiki. House GOP suggests he explore other careers. . February 21, 2023 . wpln.org . en-US . February 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230217062417/https://wpln.org/post/a-new-tennessee-lawmaker-walks-into-the-capitol-wearing-a-dashiki-house-gop-suggests-he-explore-other-careers/ . live .
  21. News: Gainey . Blaise . Republicans bar three Democrats from committees following their gun control protest on Tennessee House floor . April 3, 2023 . . April 3, 2023 . April 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230403210832/https://wpln.org/post/republicans-bar-three-democrats-from-committees-following-their-gun-control-protest-on-tennessee-house-floor/ . live .
  22. Web site: Kruesi . Kimberlee . Mattise . Jonathan . GOP lawmakers to vote on expelling Democrats in gun protest . Associated Press . April 6, 2023 . April 6, 2023 . April 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230407005525/https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-lawmakers-expulsion-d3f40559c56a051eec49e416a7b5dade . live .
  23. Web site: GOP expels Democratic Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson from House over gun-control protest. Melissa. Brown. The Tennessean. April 6, 2023. July 13, 2023.
  24. News: Kornick . Lindsay . 3 Dems facing expulsion after storming state house compared to 'when 3 were crucified' on Good Friday on MSNBC . July 13, 2023 . . April 7, 2023.
  25. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/07/harris-tennessee-guns/ Harris meets Tennessee Democrats expelled over gun protests
  26. News: Cochrane . Emily . 2023-04-12 . Second Expelled Democrat Is Sent Back to Tennessee House . en-US . The New York Times . live . 2023-04-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230412185817/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/12/us/justin-pearson-tennessee-house-vote.html . April 12, 2023 . 0362-4331.

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