Who Are the Tennessee Three? Meet the Group of Reps Speaking at DNC Day 4

Tennessee Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson, and Gloria Johnson – better known as “The Tennessee Three” – will speak Thursday at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

The trio gained national attention in 2023 for their activism and political courage.

Vice President Kamala Harris is also set to speak Thursday with performances by Pink and The Chicks.

Who Are the Tennessee Three?

Here’s a brief overview of The Tennesse Three’s legal and political status:

• Justin Jones: Represented District 52 in Nashville. He was expelled but reinstated to his seat after a special election.
• Justin Pearson: Represented District 86 in Memphis. He was also expelled and later reinstated through a special election.
• Gloria Johnson: Represented District 13 in Knoxville. She narrowly avoided expulsion but faced significant political and public scrutiny.

The trio’s prominence rose dramatically in 2023 when they protested against gun violence on the floor of the Tennessee House of Representatives following a tragic mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville. Their actions led to a historic and controversial series of events that saw two of the three members, Jones and Pearson, expelled from the state legislature by the Republican supermajority.

Expulsion

Jones and Pearson, both young, Black representatives, were ousted after participating in a protest that disrupted a legislative session. The expulsion was widely criticized as an extreme response to peaceful protest and was seen by many as racially motivated, given that the only member of the Tennessee Three who was not expelled— Johnson, a white woman—was allowed to keep her seat by just one vote.

However, both Jones and Pearson were quickly reinstated to their positions by local government bodies in their districts, which appointed them to fill the very seats they had just lost.

The Tennessee Three’s Rise To Fame

The events surrounding the Tennessee Three highlighted deep divisions in the state and national political landscape, particularly concerning gun control, race, and the right to protest. The trio became symbols of resistance to what many see as draconian measures to silence dissent and stifle debate on critical issues like gun reform.

As they take the stage at the DNC, the Tennessee Three are expected to bring their message of justice, equity, and the urgent need for gun reform to a national audience. Their speeches will likely touch on their personal experiences with the Tennessee legislature, the importance of standing up to injustice, and the broader fight for civil rights in America. They might also address the critical issues of racial inequality and the systemic problems within the U.S. political system that they believe led to their expulsions.

Given the spotlight they’ve garnered over the past year, the Tennessee Three’s appearance at the DNC serves not only as a platform to discuss these pressing issues but also as a powerful statement of the Democratic Party’s alignment with grassroots activism and the ongoing struggle for social justice. Their story, marked by resilience and a commitment to change, resonates with many of the themes likely to dominate the convention.

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