Tennessee State Rep. Antonio Parkinson called for Memphis to secede from the state on Thursday after Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed a new congressional redistricting map into law. The Democratic lawmaker, who represents parts of Shelby County including Memphis, made the remarks during House floor debate as protests echoed through the Capitol.

Parkinson declared, "Let Memphis secede from the State of Tennessee. Let my people go. I’m dead serious. If you’re constantly beating on us, let us out." He argued that the map targets the city's majority-Black population and economic contributions, stating, "This is about whether Memphis, a majority-Black economic engine for this state, is expected to continue contributing billions in tax revenue, culture, labor, and commerce while being systematically stripped of political power." This marked at least the second time Parkinson has raised secession; he made a similar demand in 2018 amid disputes over state budget cuts to Memphis.

The map, passed by the Republican-controlled House and Senate during a special legislative session on Thursday, divides Tennessee's only majority-Black congressional district, the 9th, currently held by Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen, into three parts. It also splits Nashville into five districts. Republicans aimed to reshape the state's nine-member U.S. House delegation into a potential 9-0 GOP advantage.

Gov. Lee convened the special session about a week earlier, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down Louisiana's map for racial gerrymandering and prompted reviews in states like Tennessee. President Donald Trump and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) urged the redraw, with Trump citing a conversation with Lee to "correct the unconstitutional flaw" in the maps.

Cohen decried the plan as a "shameful" racial gerrymander that would strip Memphis of representation for decades and pledged to challenge it in court. The NAACP filed an emergency petition against Lee and the legislature over the redistricting. Memphis-area Republican Sen. Brent Taylor defended the map, saying it creates opportunity for a stronger conservative voice in Congress.

Parkinson reiterated his stance in a post-signing statement, calling the map "an assault on Black political power" and urging Memphis to pursue self-determination. The changes come ahead of Tennessee's congressional primaries, with the new lines set to influence the 2026 elections.