May 11, 2026

Tennessee’s New Congressional Map Sparks Protest

Tennessee just became the first state to redraw its congressional map following a Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act. Democrats walked out in protest — and one senator stood on her desk. Here's what happened and why it matters.

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What to Know

Republican lawmakers in Tennessee passed a new U.S. House of Representatives map Thursday that slices up Memphis, a majority-Black city that makes up most of the state's lone Democratic stronghold.
The vote, which plays to the Republican party's advantage, is part of a wider redistricting strategy set forth by President Donald Trump to hold on to a narrow majority in the 2026 midterm elections.
Prior to the vote Thursday, protesters gathered outside the state's House and Senate chambers to voice their anger at the plan. Democratic lawmakers walked out in protest; Democratic state Sen. Charlane Oliver stood on her desk in the Senate chamber, holding a banner calling the redistricting a "Jim Crow" effort.

Why It Matters

Tennessee became the first state to pass new congressional districts following a Supreme Court ruling last week that greatly weakened protections for minorities under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Additional Southern states including Louisiana, Alabama and South Carolina could follow.

Discussion Questions

How does the current redistricting battle affect voting rights? How does it affect American democracy?
Why do you think Democratic state Sen. Charlane Oliver held a banner calling the redistricting vote a "Jim Crow" effort? (Jim Crow was the name of local and state racial segregation laws which existed mainly in the South in the late 19th century to the mid-1960s.)

Additional resources

Read Tennessee lawmakers pass U.S. House map carving up majority-Black district in Memphis (Associated Press).
Read: A state-by-state guide to the redistricting fight (Associated Press).
Watch: Tennessee Democrats lock arms in protest as GOP lawmakers approve new congressional map
Read Teach Democracy's A Brief History of Jim Crow.
Virginia’s Supreme Court struck down a voter-approved plan Friday, May 8, to redraw the state’s congressional maps to benefit Democrats. It was a major setback for Democrats, as both parties wage a war of mid-decade redistricting. David Wasserman of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter joins Amna Nawaz to discuss Friday’s ruling and the national context. Watch the video below and read the transcript here.

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Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.

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