Justin J. Pearson

Justin J. Pearson
Pearson in 2023
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 86th district
Incumbent
Assumed office April 12, 2023
Preceded by	Himself
In office February 9, 2023 – April 6, 2023
Preceded by	Barbara Cooper
Succeeded by	Himself
Personal details
Born	Justin Jamal Pearson (1995-01-07) January 7, 1995 (age 29) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	Bowdoin College (BA)

Justin Jamal Pearson (PEER-sən; 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.^[5] 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.^[5] 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.^[5] He graduated as valedictorian of his high school class.^[6]

In 2017, Pearson graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine,^[6] majoring in Government & Legal Studies with a minor in Education Studies.^[5][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.^[5]

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.^[6][8] A portion of the 49-mile-long (79 km) 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.^[11] Pearson won the ten-person primary with 52.3% of the vote.^[12] 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.^[13] Pearson became the second youngest lawmaker currently serving in the Tennessee House of Representatives.^[14][6][15]

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.^[16] He blamed inadequate police training, policies, and culture as contributing factors.^[16] Pearson said he would serve on the Criminal Justice Committee of the Tennessee House of Representatives.^[14]

President Joe Biden with Justin Pearson at the White House in April 2023

Pearson was sworn in on February 9, 2023.^[17][14] While being sworn into the house, he wore a dashiki,^[18] a traditional West African garment.^[19] 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,^[20] and Tennessee House Republicans tweeted to Pearson "perhaps you should explore a different career opportunity".^[21]

Protest and expulsion

Main article: 2023 Tennessee House of Representatives expulsions

Vote on expelling Justin J. Pearson.

  Democrat voted against expulsion

  Republican voted for expulsion

  Republican voted against expulsion

  Republican didn't vote

  Vacant

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.^[22] 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.^[23] Pearson was expelled by a vote of 69–26; Jones, who is also black, was expelled by 72–25. Johnson, who is white, was spared her ouster by just one vote, 65–30.^[24] In his final address to the House before his expulsion, Pearson compared his removal from the chamber to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.^[25] 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."^[26]

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.^[27]

Electoral history

2023 Tennessee's 86th House of Representatives district special Democratic primary election^[28]^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Justin J. Pearson	1,235	52.35%
	Democratic	Julian Bolton	289	12.25%
	Democratic	Will Richardson	190	8.05%
	Democratic	Juliette Eskridge	166	7.04%
	Democratic	Clifford Lewis	126	5.34%
	Democratic	Tanya Cooper	109	4.62%
	Democratic	Rod Blount	103	4.37%
	Democratic	Dominique Frost	95	4.03%
	Democratic	Andrew Withers	35	1.48%
	Democratic	Rebecca Robinson	11	0.47%
	Write-in		1	0.00%
Total votes			2,360	100%

2023 Tennessee's 86th House of Representatives district special election^[29]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Justin J. Pearson	443	97.79%
	Write-in		10	2.21%
Total votes			453	100%

2023 Tennessee's 86th House of Representatives district special Democratic primary election^[30]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Justin J. Pearson (incumbent)	2,209	94.60%
	Democratic	David Page	125	5.35%
	Write-in		1	0.04%
Total votes			2,335	100%

2023 Tennessee's 86th House of Representatives district special election^[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Justin J. Pearson (incumbent)	2,439	93.81%
	Independent	Jeff Johnston	157	6.04%
	Write-in		4	0.15%
Total votes			2,600	100%

2024 Tennessee's 86th House of Representatives district Democratic primary election^[32]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Justin J. Pearson (incumbent)	3,784	93.41%
	Democratic	David Page	267	6.59%
Total votes			4,051	100%

References

1. Former State Rep. Justin Pearson, Legistorm. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
2. "Justin J. Pearson - Representatives - TN General Assembly". April 5, 2023. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
3. "About Justin". Justin J. Pearson for State Representative. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
4. "Justin J. Pearson: The Man, the Myth, the Legend". www.hercampus.com. February 23, 2015. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
5. Goldfine, Rebecca (February 17, 2016). "Justin Pearson '17 Wins Princeton Policy Fellowship". Bowdoin. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
6. Coleman, Alex (January 26, 2023) [Originally published January 25, 2023]. "Justin Pearson becomes one of TN's youngest lawmakers". WREG-TV. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
7. "Camp Hope Founder Justin Pearson '17 On Serving the Underserved | Bowdoin College". Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
8. Training for Change (November 28, 2022). "The Craft of Campaigns: A Podcast for Organisers". The Commons Social Change Library. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
9. Sainz, Adrian (May 4, 2021). "Oil pipeline builder agrees to halt eminent domain lawsuits". Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
10. Justin Pearson Archived April 7, 2023, at the Wayback Machine, Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
11. "Live Results: Tennessee House District 86 Special Primary – 270toWin". 270toWin. January 24, 2023. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
12. Mitchell, Dr Sybil C. (January 26, 2023). "In a runaway, Justin Pearson snares District 86 victory". TSDMemphis.com. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
13. "Justin J. Pearson wins special election to fill House District 86 seat". The Commercial Appeal. January 25, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
14. Martin, Michel (January 29, 2023). "Tennessee state Rep. Justin J. Pearson on Tyre Nichols killing". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
15. Dries, Bill (January 25, 2023). "Pearson heading to Nashville after appointment to state House seat". Daily Memphian. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
16. Royer, David (January 31, 2023). "MPD 'hiring failure' blamed in Tyre Nichols death". WREG-TV. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
17. Mann, Niko (February 14, 2023). "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". Atlanta Black Star. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
18. Gamble, Justin (February 17, 2023). "Tennessee state representative responds to backlash over wearing African dashiki to swearing-in ceremony". CNN. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
19. Wolff, Norma H. "Dashiki". Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
20. Mintzer, Adam (February 13, 2023). "After wearing traditional garment on the Tennessee house floor, lawmaker told to look for a new career". The Hill. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
21. Gainey, Blaise (February 10, 2023). "A new Tennessee lawmaker walks into the capitol wearing a dashiki. House GOP suggests he explore other careers". wpln.org. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
22. Gainey, Blaise (April 3, 2023). "Republicans bar three Democrats from committees following their gun control protest on Tennessee House floor". WPLN-FM. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
23. Kruesi, Kimberlee; Mattise, Jonathan (April 6, 2023). "GOP lawmakers to vote on expelling Democrats in gun protest". Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
24. Brown, Melissa (April 6, 2023). "GOP expels Democratic Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson from House over gun-control protest". The Tennessean. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
25. Kornick, Lindsay (April 7, 2023). "3 Dems facing expulsion after storming state house compared to 'when 3 were crucified' on Good Friday on MSNBC". Fox News. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
26. Harris meets Tennessee Democrats expelled over gun protests, Washington Post, Mariana Alfaro, April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
27. Cochrane, Emily (April 12, 2023). "Second Expelled Democrat Is Sent Back to Tennessee House". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
28. "January 24, 2023 Special Democratic and Republican Primary Election Tennessee House of Representatives District 86". Shelby County Election Commission. January 24, 2023. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
29. "March 14, 2023 Special State General Tennessee House of Representatives District 86". Shelby County Election Commission. March 14, 2023. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
30. "June 15, 2023 Special State Primary Tennessee House of Representatives District 86". Shelby County Election Commission. June 15, 2023. Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
31. "August 3, 2023 Special State General Tennessee House of Representatives District 86". Shelby County Election Commission. August 3, 2023. Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
32. "State of Tennessee August 1, 2024 Democratic Primary" (PDF). Tennessee Secretary of State. Retrieved November 9, 2024.

External links

• Justin J. Pearson at Ballotpedia
• Official website
• Appearances on C-SPAN