Judges in Tennessee will soon decide whether the state's new congressional map will stay in effect for the midterm elections. The court heard arguments Thursday in the first of four legal challenges to the new map.
Tennessee became the first state to redistrict after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that lawmakers don't need to consider race when drawing new maps, but it's still top of mind for NAACP attorney Anthony Ashton after the new map divided Memphis.
"Memphis is the largest Black city in the United State," said Ashton.
"And that was done, as far as we can tell, solely for purposes of making sure that the people of Memphis no longer can elect candidates of their choice"
The NAACP is asking the court to block the maps, arguing that it's too close to the election — but the state argues it's too late to change them back, with all counties except Nashville's on track to implement the new map.
This story was taken from an audio report by WPLN's Marianna Bacallao.
Copyright 2026 NPR