Justin J. Pearson

Pearson was born in Memphis, Tennessee.{{cite web |title=About Justin |url=https://www.votejustinj.com/about |website=Justin J. Pearson for State Representative |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209132751/https://www.votejustinj.com/about |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=2015-02-23 |title=Justin J. Pearson: The Man, the Myth, the Legend |url=https://www.hercampus.com/school/bowdoin/justin-j-pearson-man-myth-legend/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409114142/https://www.hercampus.com/school/bowdoin/justin-j-pearson-man-myth-legend/ |archive-date=April 9, 2023 |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=www.hercampus.com |language=en-US}} His father was a preacher and his mother a teacher. 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.{{Cite web |last=Goldfine |first=Rebecca |date=February 17, 2016 |title=Justin Pearson '17 Wins Princeton Policy Fellowship |url=https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2016/02/justin-pearson-17-wins-princeton-policy-fellowship.html |access-date=February 28, 2023 |website=Bowdoin |archive-date=February 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228165448/https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2016/02/justin-pearson-17-wins-princeton-policy-fellowship.html |url-status=live }} 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. 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. He graduated as valedictorian of his high school class.

In 2017, Pearson graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine,{{cite news |last1=Coleman |first1=Alex |title=Justin Pearson becomes one of TN's youngest lawmakers |url=https://wreg.com/news/local/justin-j-pearson-becomes-one-of-youngest-lawmakers-in-tn/ |access-date=February 9, 2023 |work=WREG-TV |date=January 26, 2023|orig-date=Originally published January 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230128192911/https://wreg.com/news/local/justin-j-pearson-becomes-one-of-youngest-lawmakers-in-tn/ |archive-date=January 28, 2023|url-status=live}} majoring in Government & Legal Studies with a minor in Education Studies.{{Cite web |date= |title=Camp Hope Founder Justin Pearson '17 On Serving the Underserved {{!}} Bowdoin College |url=https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2015/03/camp-hope-founder-justin-pearson-17-on-serving-the-underserved.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204113904/https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2015/03/camp-hope-founder-justin-pearson-17-on-serving-the-underserved.html |archive-date=2022-12-04 |access-date=2023-04-07 }} 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.

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.{{Cite web |last=Training for Change |date=2022-11-28 |title=The Craft of Campaigns: A Podcast for Organisers |url=https://commonslibrary.org/craft-of-campaigns-a-podcast-for-organisers/ |access-date=2023-07-05 |website=The Commons Social Change Library |language=en-AU}} A portion of the {{Convert|49|mi|4=-long|adj=mid|disp=}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Sainz |first1=Adrian |title=Oil pipeline builder agrees to halt eminent domain lawsuits |url=https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-eminent-domain-environment-and-nature-business-496db66d24878234a263f516f898aed1 |access-date=February 9, 2023 |work=Associated Press |date=May 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208154111/https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-eminent-domain-environment-and-nature-business-496db66d24878234a263f516f898aed1 |archive-date=December 8, 2022 |language=en}}

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.[https://ballotpedia.org/Justin_Pearson_(Tennessee) Justin Pearson] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407123839/https://ballotpedia.org/Justin_Pearson_(Tennessee) |date=April 7, 2023 }}, Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 7, 2023. Because no Republicans or independents filed to run for the seat, the primary victor was ensured victory in the special general election. Pearson won the ten-person primary with 52.3% of the vote.{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Dr Sybil C. |date=2023-01-26 |title=In a runaway, Justin Pearson snares District 86 victory |url=https://tri-statedefender.com/in-a-runaway-justin-pearson-snares-district-86-victory/01/25/ |access-date=2023-04-28 |website=TSDMemphis.com |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |date=January 25, 2023 |title=Justin J. Pearson wins special election to fill House District 86 seat |url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/politics/2023/01/25/justin-pearson-elected-to-house-district-86-in-landslide/69836232007/ |access-date=2023-04-28 |website=The Commercial Appeal |language=en-US}} Pearson became the second youngest lawmaker currently serving in the Tennessee House of Representatives.{{Cite news |last=Martin |first=Michel |date=January 29, 2023 |title=Tennessee state Rep. Justin J. Pearson on Tyre Nichols killing |work=National Public Radio |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/01/29/1152428458/tennessee-state-rep-justin-j-pearson-on-tyre-nichols-killing |url-status=live |access-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301080445/https://www.npr.org/2023/01/29/1152428458/tennessee-state-rep-justin-j-pearson-on-tyre-nichols-killing |archive-date=March 1, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Dries |first1=Bill |title=Pearson heading to Nashville after appointment to state House seat |url=https://dailymemphian.com/section/metroelections/article/33728/memphis-shelby-county-tennessee-state-district-82-justin-pearson-heading-to-nashville |access-date=February 9, 2023 |work=Daily Memphian |date=January 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230126022548/https://dailymemphian.com/section/metroelections/article/33728/memphis-shelby-county-tennessee-state-district-82-justin-pearson-heading-to-nashville |archive-date=January 26, 2023}}

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. He blamed inadequate police training, policies, and culture as contributing factors.{{cite news |last1=Royer |first1=David |title=MPD 'hiring failure' blamed in Tyre Nichols death |url=https://wreg.com/news/local/tyre-nichols/gibbons-blames-mpd-hiring-failure-in-tyre-nichols-death/ |access-date=February 9, 2023 |work=WREG-TV |date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202022004/https://wreg.com/news/local/tyre-nichols/gibbons-blames-mpd-hiring-failure-in-tyre-nichols-death/ |archive-date=February 2, 2023}} Pearson said he would serve on the Criminal Justice Committee of the Tennessee House of Representatives.

File:President Joe Biden meets Democratic Tennessee State legislator Justin Pearson, one of the “Tennessee Three” at the White House on April 24, 2023 - P20230424AS-1247.jpg with Justin Pearson at the White House in April 2023 ]]

Pearson was sworn in on February 9, 2023.{{cite news |last1=Mann |first1=Niko |title=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. |url=https://atlantablackstar.com/2023/02/14/new-tennessee-state-rep-justin-j-pearson-wears-dashiki-during-his-swearing-in-ceremony-calls-republican-a-white-supremacist-for-pointing-out-assemblys-dress-code/ |access-date=February 18, 2023 |work=Atlanta Black Star |date=February 14, 2023 |archive-date=February 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218210041/https://atlantablackstar.com/2023/02/14/new-tennessee-state-rep-justin-j-pearson-wears-dashiki-during-his-swearing-in-ceremony-calls-republican-a-white-supremacist-for-pointing-out-assemblys-dress-code/ |url-status=live }} While being sworn into the house, he wore a dashiki,{{Cite web |last=Gamble |first=Justin |date=February 17, 2023 |title=Tennessee state representative responds to backlash over wearing African dashiki to swearing-in ceremony |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/16/us/tennessee-state-rep-responds-backlash-african-dashiki-reaj/index.html |access-date=February 21, 2023 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=February 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221044945/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/16/us/tennessee-state-rep-responds-backlash-african-dashiki-reaj/index.html |url-status=live }} a traditional West African garment.{{Cite web |last=Wolff |first=Norma H |title=Dashiki |url=https://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/clothing-types-styles/dashiki |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2023 |archive-date=June 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630171231/https://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/clothing-types-styles/dashiki }} 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,{{Cite web |last=Mintzer |first=Adam |date=February 13, 2023 |title=After wearing traditional garment on the Tennessee house floor, lawmaker told to look for a new career |url=https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/3856214-after-wearing-traditional-garment-on-the-tennessee-house-floor-lawmaker-told-to-look-for-a-new-career/ |access-date=February 21, 2023 |website=The Hill |language=en-US |archive-date=February 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221045408/https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/3856214-after-wearing-traditional-garment-on-the-tennessee-house-floor-lawmaker-told-to-look-for-a-new-career/ |url-status=live }} and Tennessee House Republicans tweeted to Pearson "perhaps you should explore a different career opportunity".{{Cite web |last=Gainey |first=Blaise |date=February 10, 2023 |title=A new Tennessee lawmaker walks into the capitol wearing a dashiki. House GOP suggests he explore other careers. |url=https://wpln.org/post/a-new-tennessee-lawmaker-walks-into-the-capitol-wearing-a-dashiki-house-gop-suggests-he-explore-other-careers/ |access-date=February 21, 2023 |website=wpln.org |language=en-US |archive-date=February 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217062417/https://wpln.org/post/a-new-tennessee-lawmaker-walks-into-the-capitol-wearing-a-dashiki-house-gop-suggests-he-explore-other-careers/ |url-status=live }}

{{main|2023 Tennessee House of Representatives expulsions}}

[[File:2023 vote on expelling Justin J. Pearson from the Tennessee House of Representatives.svg|thumb|Vote on expelling Justin J. Pearson.

{{legend|#78acff|Democrat voted against expulsion}}

{{legend|#c53030|Republican voted for expulsion}}

{{legend|#fc8383|Republican voted against expulsion}}

{{legend|#ffcccc|Republican didn't vote}}

{{legend|#e7e7e7|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.{{cite news |last1=Gainey |first1=Blaise |title=Republicans bar three Democrats from committees following their gun control protest on Tennessee House floor |url=https://wpln.org/post/republicans-bar-three-democrats-from-committees-following-their-gun-control-protest-on-tennessee-house-floor/ |access-date=April 3, 2023 |work=WPLN-FM |date=April 3, 2023 |archive-date=April 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403210832/https://wpln.org/post/republicans-bar-three-democrats-from-committees-following-their-gun-control-protest-on-tennessee-house-floor/ |url-status=live }} 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.{{cite web |last1=Kruesi |first1=Kimberlee |last2=Mattise |first2=Jonathan |title=GOP lawmakers to vote on expelling Democrats in gun protest |url=https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-lawmakers-expulsion-d3f40559c56a051eec49e416a7b5dade |website=Associated Press |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=April 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407005525/https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-lawmakers-expulsion-d3f40559c56a051eec49e416a7b5dade |url-status=live }} Pearson was expelled by a vote of 69{{endash}}26; Jones, who is also black, was expelled by 72{{endash}}25. Johnson, who is white, was spared her ouster by just one vote, 65–30.{{cite web|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2023/04/06/tennessee-expulsion-vote-democrats-justin-jones-gloria-johnson-justin-pearson/70079929007/|title=GOP expels Democratic Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson from House over gun-control protest|first=Melissa|last=Brown|work=The Tennessean|date=April 6, 2023|accessdate=July 13, 2023}} In his final address to the House before his expulsion, Pearson compared his removal from the chamber to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.{{cite news |last1=Kornick |first1=Lindsay |title=3 Dems facing expulsion after storming state house compared to 'when 3 were crucified' on Good Friday on MSNBC |url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/3-dems-facing-expulsion-storming-state-house-compared-3-crucified-good-friday-msnbc |access-date=July 13, 2023 |work=Fox News |date=April 7, 2023}} 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."[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/07/harris-tennessee-guns/ Harris meets Tennessee Democrats expelled over gun protests], Washington Post, Mariana Alfaro, April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.

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.{{Cite news |last=Cochrane |first=Emily |date=2023-04-12 |title=Second Expelled Democrat Is Sent Back to Tennessee House |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/12/us/justin-pearson-tennessee-house-vote.html |url-status=live |access-date=2023-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412185817/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/12/us/justin-pearson-tennessee-house-vote.html |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}

{{Election box begin no change| title= 2023 Tennessee's 86th House of Representatives district special Democratic primary election{{cite web |title=January 24, 2023 Special Democratic and Republican Primary Election Tennessee House of Representatives District 86 |url=https://results.electionsshelbytn.gov/ |website=Shelby County Election Commission |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209131606/https://results.electionsshelbytn.gov/ |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |date=January 24, 2023 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |title=Live Results: Tennessee House District 86 Special Primary – 270toWin |url=https://www.270towin.com/news/2023/01/24/live-results-tennessee-house-district-86-special-primary_1459.html |access-date=February 9, 2023 |work=270toWin |date=January 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209131747/https://www.270towin.com/news/2023/01/24/live-results-tennessee-house-district-86-special-primary_1459.html |archive-date=February 9, 2023}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Justin J. Pearson

|votes = 1,235

|percentage = 52.35%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Julian Bolton

|votes = 289

|percentage = 12.25%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Will Richardson

|votes = 190

|percentage = 8.05%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Juliette Eskridge

|votes = 166

|percentage = 7.04%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Clifford Lewis

|votes = 126

|percentage = 5.34%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Tanya Cooper

|votes = 109

|percentage = 4.62%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Rod Blount

|votes = 103

|percentage = 4.37%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Dominique Frost

|votes = 95

|percentage = 4.03%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Andrew Withers

|votes = 35

|percentage = 1.48%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Rebecca Robinson

|votes = 11

|percentage = 0.47%

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

|votes = 1

|percentage = 0.00%

}}

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 2,360

|percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change| title= 2023 Tennessee's 86th House of Representatives district special election{{cite web |title= March 14, 2023 Special State General Tennessee House of Representatives District 86 |url=https://results.electionsshelbytn.gov/ |website=Shelby County Election Commission |access-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317041348/https://results.electionsshelbytn.gov/ |archive-date=March 17, 2023 |date=March 14, 2023 |url-status=dead}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Justin J. Pearson

|votes = 443

|percentage = 97.79%

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

|votes = 10

|percentage = 2.21%

}}

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 453

|percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change| title= 2023 Tennessee's 86th House of Representatives district special Democratic primary election{{cite web |title= June 15, 2023 Special State Primary Tennessee House of Representatives District 86 |url=https://results.electionsshelbytn.gov/ |website=Shelby County Election Commission |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722200603/https://results.electionsshelbytn.gov/ |archive-date=July 22, 2023 |date=June 15, 2023 |url-status=dead}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Justin J. Pearson (incumbent)

|votes = 2,209

|percentage = 94.60%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = David Page

|votes = 125

|percentage = 5.35%

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

|votes = 1

|percentage = 0.04%

}}

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 2,335

|percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change| title= 2023 Tennessee's 86th House of Representatives district special election{{cite web |title= August 3, 2023 Special State General Tennessee House of Representatives District 86 |url=https://results.electionsshelbytn.gov/ |website=Shelby County Election Commission |access-date=September 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901225506/https://results.electionsshelbytn.gov/ |archive-date=September 1, 2023 |date=August 3, 2023 |url-status=dead}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Justin J. Pearson (incumbent)

|votes = 2,439

|percentage = 93.81%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Jeff Johnston

|votes = 157

|percentage = 6.04%

}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change

|votes = 4

|percentage = 0.15%

}}

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 2,600

|percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change| title= 2024 Tennessee's 86th House of Representatives district Democratic primary election{{cite web |title= State of Tennessee August 1, 2024 Democratic Primary |url=https://sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs-public/document/20240801DemocraticPrimarybyCounty.pdf |website=Tennessee Secretary of State |access-date=November 9, 2024}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Justin J. Pearson (incumbent)

|votes = 3,784

|percentage = 93.41%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = David Page

|votes = 267

|percentage = 6.59%

}}

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 4,051

|percentage = 100%

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist}}

• {{ballotpedia}}
• {{official website}}
• {{C-SPAN|136647}}

{{authority control}}

{{Tennessee House of Representatives}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearson, Justin J.}}

Category:21st-century African-American politicians

Category:African-American state legislators in Tennessee

Category:Democratic Party members of the Tennessee House of Representatives

Category:Expelled members of the Tennessee General Assembly

Category:Politicians from Memphis, Tennessee

Category:Activists for African-American civil rights

Category:African-American activists

Category:African-American environmentalists

Category:American environmentalists

Category:Bowdoin College alumni

Category:1995 births

Category:Living people

Category:Tennessee Democrats

Category:21st-century members of the Tennessee General Assembly