Justin Pearson sworn in as newest Tennessee state representative — in a dashiki
State Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) sits at his desk on the floor of the Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday, Feb. 9. He was sworn in earlier that morning. “I figured it would be a little bit subversive,” he said. “This dress is resistance; this Afro is resistance.” (Ian Round/The Daily Memphian)
In a General Assembly dominated by Republicans, an incident over the dress code was the first test of how freely Pearson can express his values — without antagonizing colleagues whose help he’ll need to pass legislation.
Topics
Tennessee General Assembly Justin Pearson Barbara Cooper Subscriber Only Lois Deberry2025 is almost over. Now is the time to support your trusted local news source.
Will you help us reach more Memphians with quality, in-depth local news? Make a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian, a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization, today.
Thank you for keeping up with what’s happening in Memphis. Thank you for investing in our community’s trusted local news source.
Ian Round
Ian Round is The Daily Memphian’s state government reporter based in Nashville. He came to Tennessee from Maryland, where he reported on local politics for Baltimore Brew. He earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland in December 2019.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.