Terri Stephens

She was there before Little Richard, Johnny Cash & Elvis Presley swiveled their hips and strummed their guitars.

⚡️ HAPPENING NOW — “THE DISTRICTS MAY NOT BE CHANGED BETWEEN APPORTIONMENTS….” Tennesseans are reading the law Republicans are breaking to steal representation from Memphis out loud before rules committee

⚡️ HAPPENING NOW — “THE DISTRICTS MAY NOT BE CHANGED BETWEEN APPORTIONMENTS….” Tennesseans are reading the law Republicans are breaking to steal representation from Memphis out loud before rules committee

This timeline brings attention to a long and difficult history, but it is important to understand it with context and accuracy. The experience of Black Americans cannot be reduced to a few numbers or dates, even though those numbers help show how long certain systems lasted. Slavery in what became the United States developed over the 17th century and was legally entrenched for generations, ending in 1865 after the Civil War. That period shaped the country’s economy and social structure in lasting ways. After slavery ended, systems of control did not disappear. Instead, they evolved into laws and practices that enforced segregation and limited rights, often referred to as Jim Crow. These laws varied by state and existed mainly from the late 19th century into the mid 20th century. Lynching, which is highlighted in the image, was a form of racial terror used to enforce that system. It was not limited to a fixed set of years and occurred most heavily between the late 1800s and early 1900s, though incidents continued beyond that period. It played a major role in maintaining fear and control in many communities. The Civil Rights Movement, often associated with the years between 1954 and 1968, was not a short struggle but part of a much longer fight for equality that began long before and continues today. Those years represent some of the most visible legal victories, including the end of segregation laws and the protection of voting rights. The final point about police brutality reflects an ongoing conversation. It is connected to broader discussions about law enforcement, justice, and equality that continue in modern society. Like the rest of this history, it is complex and shaped by many factors over time.

“THE DISTRICTS MAY NOT BE CHANGED BETWEEN APPORTIONMENTS.” So not only is this @GovBillLee @MarshaBlackburn @TNGOP 9-0 (white) power grab stripping Memphis of representation racist & immoral — it is also clearly illegal by Tennessee law. Receipts: law.justia.com/codes/tennesse…

ERIC PATTON: “They split NASHVILLE into 3 Republican districts so our votes drown in rural red. Now they’re doing it to MEMPHIS… this is what fear looks like when it has a supermajority. They can’t control us, so they divide us. Every map they draw assumes you’ll stay home.”

New Orleans generates $10 billion annually from our tourism industry. Our port generates $31.8 billion, over 8% of Louisiana’s GDP. Yet, we’re being politically disenfranchised, punished for being a majority Black city. This is exploitation

This was not that long ago. And anti-Black #racism persists in the United States and abroad. Please: 1. Stop denying racism exists. 2. Be educated on racism as an issue of prejudice, abuse of power, and manipulation of privilege. 3. Commit to being informed on systemic issues. 4. Pay attention to those who say they are being violated by systemic racism/discrimination. 5. Care. 6. Study the global and national impact of racism and white supremacy. 7. Honestly examine systems infiltrated by racist ideals [Some of those systems: Healthcare, education, criminal ‘justice’ (school to prison pipeline, prison industrial complex), housing, etc.]. 8. Study and quote Dr. MLK, Jr. to facilitate justice and true peace, NOT to maintain order as a form of false peace. Injustice is never in order. 9. Be open to understanding the “interconnectedness” of humanity. Think higher than 1 group “winning.” How can humanity win? 10. Decide on one system impacted by racism that you will work to change. Work on it. 11. Don’t be a racist. Give due spiritual, emotional, mental, and practical diligence to not being a vessel for hate, bigotry and racism. 12. Choose Nonviolence. Kingian Nonviolence not merely a tactic, but a love-centered way of living, with principles and steps that help create a more just, humane, peaceful world. Learn more at thekingcenter.org Photo: Gordon Parks #JimCrow #MLK #LetHistoryHelp #TheKingCenter

“DEAD LAST” As Tennessee Republicans @GovBillLee @WilliamLamberth @CSexton25 @SenJohnson steer hundreds of millions yearly to private school vouchers, we are dead last in per pupil public school spending.

“DEAD LAST” As Tennessee Republicans @GovBillLee @WilliamLamberth @CSexton25 @SenJohnson steer hundreds of millions yearly to private school vouchers, we are dead last in per pupil public school spending.

On this day in 404 BC, Sparta defeated Athens, bringing the Peloponnesian War to an end

You know these Lego vids are on the spot when main stream media is silent about them 🤐🤐🤐

The Hilton donated the ~2600 dinners that went unserved at WHCD. They freeze dried the steak and lobster for longer shelf life before giving them to 2 shelters for abused women and children. HUGE thank you to the staff that worked through the night under terrible circumstances.

@apple4urteach @Popeyes Oh no!!! That ain't right!

@Popeyes I just can’t believe you charged me $3.99 for some fried pickles, and I get half of the container.

George Carlin in 2005: "They don't want people smart enough to sit around the kitchen table and figure out how badly they're getting fucked by a system that threw them overboard 30 fucking years ago." He died in 2008. Nothing changed.

“The state takeovers of MEMPHIS, MASON, TSU, etc. — all seem to have a common thread… Can you guess? Do I even need to say it?” As state Republicans seize the MEMPHIS school board, we asked comptroller @JasonMumpower why they only seem to take over *certain* (Black-led) orgs🤔

That was quick!

Ninth Grader Demi Johnson receives National Geographic award for plan to save Mississippi's oyster reef population. The ninth grader has produced 1,100 oysters that will in turn spawn millions of larvae into the ecosystem, a huge ecological impact

The Column of Marcus Aurelius, a monumental Roman victory column standing in Piazza Colonna, Rome, Italy.

Yesterday on the TN House floor a white female rep. said fuck and the speaker laughed and none of the republicans said a word. Today a black male rep said something about someone’s hairline and he was called out of order. #TNracism