NAACP Files Federal Lawsuit Challenging Tennessee’s Racially Discriminatory Congressional Map

New federal action seeks to block unlawful dismantling of state's only majority-Black congressional district in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Today, the NAACP, alongside the NAACP Tennessee State Conference, and a coalition of civil rights and community organizations, announced the filing of a federal lawsuit challenging Tennessee's newly enacted congressional map that dismantles the state's only majority-Black district and dilutes the voting strength of Black Tennesseans.

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, the complaint alleges that Tennessee lawmakers intentionally redrew Congressional District 9 - a district anchored in Memphis for more than 50 years - to crack the majority Black district across multiple districts, with the intent of eliminating Black voting power and depriving them of a meaningful opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.

The lawsuit further asserts that the map was rushed through the legislative process in about 48 hours, with little transparency or meaningful public input, and despite clear warnings that it would undermine Black political power.

This federal filing follows NAACP's ongoing legal action in Tennessee state court and represents a continued effort to challenge what advocates describe as a coordinated and unlawful attack on Black voting rights.

"This lawsuit goes to the heart of our democracy," said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. "Tennessee lawmakers made a deliberate choice to silence Black voters by dismantling a district that has long ensured representation for one of the state's largest Black populations. We are at the dawn of a new Jim Crow era. People fought and died for the representation that lawmakers across the South are so casually eroding. The NAACP will not stand by while elected officials manipulate district lines to take away our political power and silence our voices."

The complaint argues that the redistricting plan violates the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution by intentionally discriminating on the basis of race. It details how lawmakers ignored traditional redistricting principles - such as compactness and respect for communities of interest - to achieve racially motivated outcomes. The complaint also underscores that maps were adopted against a backdrop of recent legislative efforts that are racially discriminatory.

"This is not just about lines on a map - it is about whether Black voters will have a fair and equal voice in our electoral system," said Kristen Clarke, General Counsel of the NAACP. "The evidence is clear: Tennessee's map dismantled the state's only majority Black district and was enacted with discriminatory intent. Memphis is home to the largest majority Black city in the country; it is the place where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated, and it is a community that deserves to have a voice in our democracy. We will continue to turn to the Courts to beat back efforts to disenfranchise communities."

The lawsuit highlights that Memphis and Shelby County - home to the state's largest concentration of Black voters - were split into three Congressional districts that extend deep into predominantly white, rural areas, effectively and intentionally denying Black voters the opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice.

"As a lifelong Tennessean, it's deeply hurtful to see our communities in Memphis split up and fractured without basis," said Gloria Sweet-Love, President of the Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP. "This map fractures neighborhoods that have long stood together and diminishes the voices of Black families who have built power here over generations. We're turning to the federal courts because our communities deserve to stay whole. We deserve to be fairly represented, not discounted and silenced."

Plaintiffs are seeking immediate relief, including a court order preventing the state from conducting elections under the new map and requiring a return to the map adopted at the start of the decade.

This lawsuit is part of the NAACP's broader national strategy to protect voting rights, combat racially discriminatory redistricting efforts and ensure Black political representation across the country.

Regardless, the NAACP will mount a mobilization campaign to send voters in droves to the polls to elect leaders who will respect our voices. To learn more or get involved, visit naacp.org. To view the filing, click here.

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About NAACP

The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities.

NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund - also referred to as the NAACP-LDF - was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity.