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According to a Pew Research study, while a significant majority of Black adults support providing reparations to descendants of enslaved people in the U.S., only a small minority of white Americans shares the same view. (f11photo/Adobe Stock)

TN reparations ban bill set for vote today

The Tennessee House of Representatives plans to vote today on House Bill 474, to end the study of reparations in the state. A Memphis nonpartisan …

M�s de 131.000 habitantes de Tennessee ya han emitido sus votos durante la votaci�n anticipada. (rawpixel/Adobe Stock)

Nueva ley de Tennessee podría generar confusión de los votantes en las urnas

A medida que se acercan rápidamente las elecciones municipales en Tennessee, los grupos están presionando urgentemente para lograr una …

More than 131,000 Tennesseans have already cast their ballots during early voting. (rawpixel/Adobe Stock)

New Tennessee law could lead to voter confusion at the polls

As municipal elections in Tennessee fast approach, groups are making an urgent push for more voter education - especially in the Nashville metro area…

Regaining voting rights has been shown to reduce recidivism rates, meaning more Tennesseans would<br />be able to reenter their communities, work, and earn money to pay off their debts. (rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Report: TN voting-rights restoration process 'overly complicated'

In Tennessee, almost a half million people won't be able to vote in any upcoming elections because of a past felony conviction, and one organization …

Se ha demostrado que recuperar el derecho al voto reduce las tasas de reincidencia, lo que significa que m�s habitantes de Tennessee podr�an volver a ingresar a sus comunidades, trabajar y ganar dinero para pagar sus deudas. (rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Proceso de restauración de derecho al voto en TN es 'demasiado complicado'

En Tennessee, casi medio millón de personas no podrán votar en las próximas elecciones debido a una condena por un delito grave en el …

Tennesseans must bring valid photo identification to the polls. That means a driver's license or government-issued photo ID. College student IDs are not acceptable. (Vesperstock/Adobe Stock)

TN Early Voting Underway; Voters Face Lengthy Ballots

The Volunteer State ranks poorly in the U.S. for its overall lack of voter participation. Over the last decade, critics say the poor turnout is …

Los residentes de Tennessee deben traer una identificaci�n v�lida con foto a las urnas. Eso significa una licencia de conducir o una identificaci�n con foto emitida por el gobierno. No se aceptan identificaciones de estudiantes universitarios. (Vesperstock/Adobe Stock)

Comenzó votación anticipada en TN; votantes enfrentan boletas largas

El Estado Voluntario ocupa un lugar bajo en los EE. UU. por su falta general de participación de los votantes. Durante la última dé…

While the number of public school teachers of color has grown substantially, the increase has not kept pace with changes in the nation's student population, <a href=

according to the National Council on Teacher Quality. (Adobe Stock)">

Race, Gender Factors in TN Teacher Classroom-Observation Scores

New research suggests Tennessee's system for rating a teacher's effectiveness by observing them in the classroom may not be equitable - at a time when…

From 1980 to 2019, Tennessee's jail incarceration rate increased 319%, according to the Vera Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Shelby County Pretrial System Under Scrutiny, Calls for Reform

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Legal advocacy groups in Tennessee have asked Shelby County Court officials to change their bail and pretrial detention practices…

Research suggests a significant percentage of people on death row in the U.S. have some form of intellectual disability, brain damage, or severe mental illness. (Adobe Stock)

Rallies Planned Across TN for Pervis Payne

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tomorrow, events in Knoxville, Memphis, Murfreesboro and Nashville will mark the one-year anniversary of weekly rallies for …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by …

An estimated 48% of Hispanic students are first-generation students, compared with 28% of white students, according to the Postsecondary National Policy Institute. (Adobe Stock)

“Precipitous Drop” in Latino Students in College

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The number of Latino students on college campuses fell by 20% last year, largely because of COVID-19-related job loss or illness…

Fifty-one percent of Tennesseans already have cast their ballot in the 2020 presidential election, according to data from the Secretary of State's Office. (Adobe stock)

Civil-Rights Groups Urge TN Governor to Prevent Voter Intimidation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- As Tennesseans cast their votes today, civil-rights groups are calling on Gov. Bill Lee to address the issue of voter …

Tennessee ranks 40th in the nation for voter registration. (Adobe Stock)<br />

TN Braces for Absentee-, Early-Voter Surge in Aug. 6 Primary

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The last day to request an absentee ballot is Thursday, July 30, for Tennesseans wishing to avoid the polls on August 6, the …

Recent reforms have shrunk the annual number of girls' detentions to less than 46,000 nationwide from nearly 100,000 in the early 2000s, according to the Vera Institute for Justice. (Adobe Stock)

Most Incarcerated Girls Have Experienced Abuse, Says TN Juvenile Court

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The juvenile court in Davidson county is spearheading an effort to reduce the number of girls and gender-nonconforming young …

Atheist students in one Tennessee public school district were told they would be better off

ACLU Sues TN School District Over Official Prayers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a freedom of religion lawsuit on behalf of parents whose children attend Smith …

Of the more than 700,000 DACA recipients in the United States, about 8,000 live in Tennessee. (Adobe Stock)

Tennessee DACA Recipients Rally at US Supreme Court

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A group of Tennessee DACA recipients has just returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., where they rallied outside the U.S…

A judge has temporarily blocked a Tennessee law that outlines strict new rules for voter registration, including fines and criminal charges for anyone who doesn't comply. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Federal Court Blocks TN Law Restricting Voter Registration

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Just weeks from going into effect, a federal district court judge has temporarily blocked a Tennessee law that would make it …

Juvenile detention facilities around the country routinely put youths in solitary confinement, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. (Adobe Stock)

In Shelby County, a Push to Reduce Youth Solitary Confinement

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A juvenile detention center in Shelby County has reduced the use of solitary confinement among children in its care…

Currently, the Affordable Care Act makes legal immigrants, including green card holders and temporary visitors, eligible for subsidies to purchase private health insurance. (Twenty20)

Tennesseans Can Weigh In on Green-Card Policies

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As they prepare to vote in the November midterms, Tennesseans can also weigh in on a proposal by the Trump administration …

H-2A workers must be paid twice a month and receive a job description in writing, but FLOC says the U.S. Department of Labor isn't always enforcing the requirements. (Bob Jagendorf/flickr)

Protections Not Enforced for Migrant Workers, Lawsuit Alleges

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As thousands of Tennesseans return to work after a long Labor Day weekend, allegations that the Department of Labor is not …

Community groups in Nashville are calling for policy changes after the fatal police shooting of a 25-year-old black man in July. (Twenty20)

Video Prompts Calls for Change in Nashville Police Procedures

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Citizens' groups in Nashville are demanding a thorough review of police procedures and some policy changes after release of …

Duran live-streamed his arrest and shared it on Facebook. (Free Press/Facebook)

Tennessee Journalist Faces Deportation

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A journalist in Tennessee faces deportation following his arrest April 3 at a protest of current immigration policy. Manuel …

Members of the grassroots group Justice Knox address Knoxville leaders at a recent meeting. (Justice Knox)

Knoxville Grassroots Group Tackles Tough Local Issues

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - More than 1,000 Knoxville residents are addressing what they see as local issues of injustice, one at a time. Known as "Justice …

Tennis star Serena Williams reportedly had problems getting doctors to take her medical issues seriously upon the birth of her child last year. (motivationforgood/Pixabay)

TN Observes First-Ever Black Maternal Health Week

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Black women are three to four times more likely to die during childbirth than white women. It's just one startling statistic …

Pulaski, Tenn., is considered the birthplace of the Ku Klux Klan. Pictured here, klansmen march in a New Jersey funeral for a Klan member. (Bundesarchiv, Bild)

Hate Groups: Study Looks at Cause and Rise

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee is the home state of one of the most infamous hate groups, the Klu Klux Klan – but the Southern Poverty Law …

Protests erupted at the Trump inauguration and one journalist faces up to 60 years in prison, accused of participating in a riot he was documenting with his camera. (Shamila Chaudhary/flickr)

Rioting Charges Against Journalist Called "Truly Troubling Trend"

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Press groups and photojournalist Alexei Wood say there are troubling implications to Wood's trial on charges of multiple …

More than 30 young people from Tennessee who are at risk of deportation are in Washington this week to talk with members of Congress about the importance of passing a Dream Act. (Wally Gobetz/flickr)

TN Youths Demand Congress Pass Dream Act

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- More than 30 young people from Tennessee are in Washington, D.C., today to share their message with government leaders. They …

Incidents such as this fire in a church in Mississippi, where arson is suspected, are believed to be on the rise in the United States. (ProPublica)

Groups Work to Track Hate Crimes in TN

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, there were 275 incidences of hate crimes against people or their …

This statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest is one of two that some Memphis residents are asking be removed. (Ron Cogswell/Flickr)

Thousands Demand Removal of Memphis Confederate Statues

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - More than 4,500 people are asking the city of Memphis to remove two Confederate statues. The group "Take Them Down 901" wants the …

One noted attorney says it would be possible for the family of Jocques Clemmons to pursue a civil penalty in connection to his death. (Brandon Anderson/Flickr)

Civil Lawsuit Possible in Nashville Police-Involved Shooting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – There will be no criminal charges against the white police officer involved in the fatal shooting of a black Nashville man…

Critics say U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' renewed

Directive from Washington Could Create Crowding in TN Jails

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A directive from U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions could place additional burdens on the state's already crowded prison system …

Experts say closing the racial achievement gap could be achieved by addressing the mass incarceration problem in states such as Tennessee. (Penn State/flick.com)

Unlocking the Truth: Incarceration Tied to Racial Achievement Gap

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The mass incarceration of African Americans has contributed significantly to the racial achievement gap in the nation's schools…

Cities such as Nashville and others across Tennessee are home to immigrants and refugees in limbo again after President Trump issued a second executive order on Monday related to immigration. (John Lamb/flickr.com)

Travel Ban 2.0 Not Much Better, Say TN Immigration Advocates

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – New restrictions on immigration are in place today, after President Trump signed an executive order Monday banning …

After a weekend of confusion at airports over executive orders surrounding immigration into the United States, 189 groups are calling for a delay in today's vote on President's Trumps nominee for Attorney General. (Phil King/flickr.com)

Groups Question Where Sessions Stands on Immigration

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote Tuesday on Senator Jeff Sessions' nomination to serve as U.S. attorney general…

A million people are expected to converge on the nation's capital this weekend for the Women's March on Washington, with similar events in several Tennessee cities. (miguellara/morguefile)

Tennesseeans Join Women's Marches This Weekend

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The number of participants in the Women's March on Washington and local sister events in Tennessee and other states this …

Moms United believes the war on drugs, attacks on immigrants and on the poor all are interconnected. (A New PATH)

Moms Resolve to Defend Human Rights

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- With 2017 upon us, one organization has issued a set of New Year's resolutions calling on mothers everywhere to preserve advances …

Earlier this year leaders from advocacy and business groups in the state launched the Tennessee Coalition for Sensible Justice. (Larry Farr/morguefile.com)<br />

Children Behind Bars: Report Recommends Alternatives

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Kids should not be kept behind bars, that's the message of a new report examining the ineffectiveness of youth detention …

Some African-American and Latino voters waited much longer at the polls than white voters in the 2012 election. (justgrimes/Flickr)

TN Early Voting Begins This Week: Obstacles at Polls for Some?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Starting Wednesday, Tennesseans can begin casting early ballots for the November 8 election. And a new report from The Joint …

The death penalty, often administered by injections of lethal drug cocktails, is receiving less public support, according to research by Pew. (dodgertonskillhause/morguefile.com)

Report: Support for Death Penalty at All-Time Low

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear two death-penalty cases this term, and while the court will primarily consider …

$A small fraction of Tennessee prison inmates are offered the life-saving anti-viral drugs recommended to treat hepatitis-C. (St�phane Lavoie/Flickr)$

TN Dept. of Corrections' Hep C Protocol Called "Cruel and Unusual"

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Of the 3,400 inmates with hepatitis-C in Tennessee's prisons, only eight are receiving the antiviral drugs that could save their …

Population growth, increased demand and a lack of budget increases are three factors contributing to Tennessee's shortage of public defenders in some jurisdictions. (Scalesofjustice/flickr.com)

In Pursuit of Justice: TN Public Defenders Stretched as Demand Grows

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – This week Williamson County made headlines when the district's public defender said her assistants will not be taking on new …

Public safety officials nationwide are voicing concerns about the death penalty. (dodgertonskillhause/morguefile.com)

New Group: Law Enforcement Officials Concerned about Death Penalty

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Gerald Galloway worked for more than 30 years in law enforcement in North Carolina, but in spite of encountering some of the …

Tennessee lawmakers are considering a bill that would mandate that school systems require students to utilize facilities associated with the gender on their birth certificate. (Paradox/Wikimedia Commons)

Tennessee Bathroom Bill Places Transgender Students at Risk, Opponents Say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Controversy is growing around the so-called Bathroom Bill, which Tennessee lawmakers are considering. The measure, House Bill 2414…

The Tennessee Senate passed a resolution directing the state attorney general to file a lawsuit against the federal government for allegedly failing to consult with the state on refugee resettlement. Pictured here are Syrian children in a refugee camp in Syria. (Mehmet Bilgin/flickr.com)

Don't Come Here: TN Senate Passes Anti-Refugee Resolution

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Senate this week passed a resolution that directs the state attorney general to sue the federal government over …

Proposed legislation would require women in Tennessee to consider viewing the ultrasound of their fetus before having an abortion. (redjar/morguefile.com)

TN Lawmakers Set to Debate New 'Ultrasound Bill'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Women in Tennessee would be forced to consider viewing an ultrasound picture of their fetus before receiving an abortion…

Tennessee lawmakers are considering legislation that would attempt to void same sex marriages in the state, and risk losing $8 billion in federal funds for programs for people in need. (mensatic/morguefile.com)

TN Natural Marriage Act: Gone, But Effort Not Abandoned

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A state House panel essentially killed a bill that would have attempted to void same sex marriages in Tennessee despite the …

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its 800-page report on the death of Darrius Stewart, just one day after the U.S. Department of Justice announced it would investigate his death and practices in the Memphis Police Department. (southernfried/morguefile.com)

TBI Releases Full Report on Shooting Death of Memphis Teen

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - One day after the federal government announced it would investigate the police shooting death of a Memphis teen, the Tennessee …

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TN: Civil Rights