Area leaders vow to change institutions
A substantial portion of Shelby County's elected officials stood outside the Memphis NAACP Saturday morning and pledged they would use their collective power to enact substantial change against systemic racism and institutions that aren't protecting Africanamerican citizens.
"More is required of public officials than slogans, handshakes and press releases," said Michalyn Easter-thomas, a member of the Memphis City Council, quoting the late U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan, a leading civil rights activist.
"These people standing before you today, you elected us. You elected us to listen and we hear you .... But most importantly, you elected us to work. And, today, we are recommitting our dedication to black lives in Memphis," Easterthomas said. She noted the recent passage of funding for expanded COVID-19 testing and pledged that the council, and its eight-member African-american majority would focus on investing in expanding access to food and clean streets.
"We will do just that by defunding any city division that will or has caused harm to the black community," Easterthomas said. "We will be intentional with city policy, regulating excessive force by the police department." The city council passed the city's budget Tuesday. Budgets can be amended, however.
Easter-thomas was among the four members of the Memphis City Council and four members of the seven-person black majority on the Shelby County Commission who attended the news conference on Vance Avenue. They were joined by several Shelby County legislators, Shelby County Trustee Regina Newman and other local notables.
The gathering was the largest show of political will regarding the issues of police brutality and systemic racism during the 11 days of protests that have followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
"We build new jails, but we don't build new schools. And that's on us as much as it is on others because we have the power of the vote," said Shelby County Commissioner Tami Sawyer. "Shelby County is strong and this is what we are going to do."
Sawyer pledged that the County Commission, which remains deep in the throes of budget season, would cut some of the Shelby County Sheriff 's Office budget and once again criticized the use of tear gas by the Sheriff's Office during protests last weekend, noting the impact they could have on people's lungs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sawyer, Easter-thomas and the others who spoke Saturday, including state representatives London Lamar, Antonio Parkinson and Tennessee Senate Minority Leader Karen Camper described Memphis, Shelby County, and the U.S. as at a crossroads, a time of change, transition brought by the pressure of the pandemic and compounded by the call for racial justice.
"Sun up to sundown, picking that cotton. Sun up to sundown, whupped by the massa'. Sun up to sundown, chains and shackles No more auction block for me," Camper sang the lyrics of the song "Sound of Blackness." Then she sang lyrics from the Broadway musical "Hamilton" that noted the fortune of being alive during the American Revolution.
"Look around. Look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now to institute the changes they all just talked about," Camper said.
After the news conference, more than 150 people marched from the Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ throughout Downtown, chanting the names of Floyd, Breonna Taylor of Louisville and Ahmaud Arbery of Georgia in the summer heat.
Samuel Hardiman covers Memphis city government and politics for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached by email at samuel.hardiman@commercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter @samhardiman.