Tennessee

When she first arrived in the U.S. decades ago, Queen Titile Keskessa didn't know who Martin Luther King Jr. was. Today, she is inspired by his legacy and the work of other African American civil rights icons.

National

Reporter's notebook: The South is home to a growing Black immigrant population

5:00am May 12, 2023

by Leah Donnella

What's it like to be a Black immigrant or refugee in America? We had a hundred or so conversations with people in Tennessee — one of the Blackest states in the country — to find out.

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The medical examiner's official autopsy report for 29-year-old Tyre Nichols showed he "died of brain injuries from blunt force trauma," according to the Shelby County, Tenn., District Attorney's Office. Here, the screen at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans honors Nichols before an NBA basketball game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Washington Wizards on Jan. 28.

National

Tyre Nichols' autopsy reveals brain injuries from blunt force trauma, attorneys say

8:15pm May 03, 2023

by Jonathan Franklin

The family of Tyre Nichols and their attorneys were briefed on his official autopsy results Wednesday, nearly four months after his death.

Democratic state Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville speaks before his colleagues voted to expel him from the House on Thursday. Constitutional scholars say such measures are very rare — and have uncertain consequences.

After Tennessee House Republicans expelled 2 Democrats, will other states follow?

5:46pm April 07, 2023

by Bill Chappell

It's a rare occurrence, but the expulsion of two Black lawmakers from Tennessee's Republican-led House highlights a new level of "democratic dysfunction," a constitutional law expert tells NPR.

Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones gestures during a vote on his expulsion from the state legislature at the State Capitol Building in Nashville on Thursday.

Former Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones says he lost a seat, but voters lost their voice

11:18am April 07, 2023

by Rachel Treisman

Jones, one of two Black Democrats expelled from the state House, tells NPR he's keeping his options open and would "most definitely" demand his seat back if local officials reappointed him to it.

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Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones spoke about a school safety bill on Thursday, before he and Rep. Justin Pearson (far left) faced an expulsion vote along with Rep. Gloria Johnson.

Tennessee House votes to expel the first of 3 Democratic members over gun protest

4:42pm April 06, 2023

by Bill Chappell

The Republican-led House voted to remove Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville after a protest on the floor of the chamber over gun laws. The House has yet to determine the fate of two other Democrats.

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National

Freeway crash kills 6 youths thrown from car in Tennessee

11:28pm March 26, 2023

by The Associated Press

A car crash killed six young people, including a 1-year-old infant, after they were ejected from their vehicle early Sunday on a freeway in middle Tennessee, authorities said.

Mourners arrive to the funeral service for Tyre Nichols, at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn. The City of Memphis announced the investigation into Nichols' death has been concluded, announcing an additional 20 hours of video footage will be released Wednesday.

National

The City of Memphis says it has completed its investigation into Tyre Nichols' death

5:49pm March 07, 2023

by Jonathan Franklin

Nearly 20 hours of new footage and audio, along with accompanying documents, will be released to the public on Wednesday afternoon, officials say.

Danny Randolph (left) and Daniel Wadham, chief warrant officers in the Tennessee National Guard, were killed in a Black Hawk helicopter crash during a training flight in Alabama's Madison County on Wednesday.

National

2 Tennessee Guard pilots killed in a Black Hawk helicopter crash are identified

6:15pm February 16, 2023

by Kaitlyn Radde

Daniel Wadham and Danny Randolph, members of the Tennessee National Guard, died in the crash in Madison County, Ala., on Wednesday. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

A portrait of Tyre Nichols is displayed at a memorial service for him on Jan. 17 in Memphis, Tenn. Nichols died three days after Memphis police officers beat him during a traffic stop on Jan. 7.

National

What we know about the killing of Tyre Nichols

8:51pm January 28, 2023

Body cam footage of the brutal arrest in Memphis of the Black man has sparked protests in several cities. The five ex-officers involved face a litany of charges, including second-degree murder.

A portrait of Tyre Nichols is displayed at a memorial service for him on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023 in Memphis, Tenn. Nichols was killed during a traffic stop with Memphis Police on Jan. 7.

National

2 Memphis Fire Department employees are 'relieved of duty' after Tyre Nichols' death

8:48pm January 24, 2023

Nichols died on Jan. 10, three days after he was stopped by Memphis police for reckless driving. Five Memphis police officers have been fired following an investigation into Nichols' death.