Mariana Bacayau

That's Democratic State Representative Justin J. Pearson of Memphis.

He points to historical obstacles Black voters have faced, like Jim Crow laws that kept them from casting a ballot.

Some Tennessee Republicans are hesitant to adopt new maps since state code bans mid-decade redistricting.

But the state's GOP leadership says it's fully behind President Trump's plan to create more red seats in Congress.

For NPR News, I'm Mariana Bacayau in Nashville.

The last-minute redistricting effort was spurred by a U.S.

Supreme Court decision to walk back part of the Voting Rights Act, which had protected the majority Black voting bloc from redistricting in the past.

Memphis Democratic State Senator Ramesh Akhbari says the move is a dishonor to the memory of civil rights activists who fought for the right to vote.

And now we have people who sit in Washington, who sit in Nashville, who say that those in this community do not matter.

The legislature will reconvene this upcoming Tuesday for the special session.

For NPR News, I'm Mariana Bacayau in Nashville.

This is NPR.

Governor Lee had been hesitant to come back to Nashville so soon before the state's congressional primaries, but called the session after a phone call with Trump.

The last-minute redistricting effort was spurred by a U.S.

Supreme Court decision to walk back part of the Voting Rights Act, which had protected the majority Black voting bloc from redistricting in the past.

Memphis Democratic State Senator Ramesh Akhbari says the move is a dishonor to the memory of civil rights activists who fought for the right to vote.

And now we have people who sit in Washington, who sit in Nashville, who say that those in this community do not matter.

The legislature will reconvene this upcoming Tuesday for the special session.

For NPR News, I'm Mariana Bacayau in Nashville.

Walking into Fido, you can't miss the giant countdown clock, measuring the time until the coffee shop closes in two years.