Civil Rights
In-person voting rule challenges Rutherford County voter ill with COVID-19
On July 29, Brittney Whidden received a phone call from the Rutherford County Election Commission. While her husband’s absentee ballot had been approved, hers would not be. Whidden pushed back, and the election commission made an exception. Whidden, who tested positive for COVID-19 and is recovering, received her ballot via mail July 31, but reached […]
Special session bill criminalizes camping on state property and threatens voter rights
The Tennessee General Assembly Wednesday passed a bill that makes camping on state property a felony. House Bill 8005 appears to target Black Lives Matter protesters who have been camping on Legislative Plaza in downtown Nashville since mid-June. One portion upgrades the punishment for camping on property not specifically designated for camping from a Class […]
Nashville Mayor John Cooper: Chief Anderson’s last day is Thursday
Nashville Mayor John Cooper drastically moved up the planned retirement of Police Chief Steve Anderson, announcing Thursday will be Anderson’s last day on the job, following the arrest of a homeless Black man for failing to abide by the city’s mask mandate. Anderson had been with the department for 45 years and served as police […]
Students work to better Black history and slavery education in TN
When Mariah Toennies was temporarily on crutches and sitting out of gym class, she said she was able to speak with her teacher at Nolensville High School a little more than usual. During one conversation her teacher learned Toennies was adopted by a white family, and that her birth father was black. Toennies said her […]
Top Homeland Security official vows federal agents ‘will not back away’ from violent protest
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s number two at the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday defended federal law enforcement officers’ intervention in protests in Portland, Oregon, and other cities this summer. Characterizing some of the protests as “mob rule,” Acting Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli told lawmakers that federal agents could exert force in […]
Get in ‘good trouble’: John Lewis’ words ring out in Capitol one more time
WASHINGTON — The immortal words of the late civil rights leader John Lewis rang out from the U.S. Capitol Monday during a private ceremony in celebration of his life. “You must find a way to get in the way,” he said in a recording of a 2014 commencement speech he gave at Emory University. “You must […]
An interview with Nashville Mayor John Cooper
Before Nashville Mayor John Cooper helmed a city grappling in rapid succession with recovery from a destructive tornado, a historic pandemic and sweeping protests for policing reform, he was a candidate who campaigned on his expertise in the wonkiest areas of Metro government. A businessman and real estate executive, Cooper touted his experience in finance […]
Hargett to U.S. Senate: Georgia cat’s application to vote proof of voter fraud
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett cited an alleged instance of a voter registration form being mailed to a cat in Georgia as rationale for Tennessee’s continuing emphasis on in-person voting during a Wednesday hearing of the U.S. Senate Rules and Administration Committee. Among other instances of alleged voter fraud by mail Hargett cited were […]
Column: They shall not pass this way again
Words are hardly sufficient to describe the pain and loss of Friday. First came the news that the Rev. C.T. Vivian had died at the age of 95. Less than 12 hours later, the news that U.S. Rep. John Lewis had died was a gut-punch of an exclamation point to what has become a surreal […]
Commentary: What the prenatal care bill means for incarcerated pregnant Tennesseans.
Imagine being pregnant — you’re thinking about your child’s health and nutrition and your own health and safety. Now imagine being pregnant in jail or prison in Tennessee, where policies around prenatal care and nutrition are as varied as the county jails and prisons across the state. “Being pregnant and incarcerated was the hardest thing […]
Immigrant rights group changes leadership as directors step down
Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) faces new direction and leadership for the upcoming election as the current directors step down for a new leader. Co-Executive Directors Stephanie Teatro and Lindsey Harris recently announced their leave from TIRRC to make way for a new director, Lisa Sherman-Nikolaus. Tennessee Lookout spoke with Teatro, Harris and […]
Border officials did not follow guidelines on migrant children’s health care, government investigators find
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has not consistently followed new guidelines for medical care of migrant children and spent some of the agency’s money designated for “medical care” on unrelated items like printers, speakers and its canine program, according to a new federal investigation. The U.S. Government Accountability Office, an independent “congressional watchdog,” found gaps […]