MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — A rally was held at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis before Justin J. Person was reinstated to his Tennessee House seat Wednesday.
Justin J. Pearson, Gloria Johnson, and Justin Jones, also known as the Tennessee Three, marched to the Shelby County Commission meeting to learn Pearson’s fate.
Before the march, those who attended the rally heard from several speakers, including Representative Gloria Johnson from Knoxville. She is the only one of the three democrats that faced expulsion who was not removed from office.
Justin J. Pearson (left), Gloria Johnson (center), and Justin Jones (right) attend a rally held outside the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee (Photo by Marcus Hunter, WREG) 
People gather outside the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis for a rally for the Tennessee Three (Photo by Marcus Hunter, WREG) 
Supporter of Justin J. Pearson holds sign during a rally outside of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Marcus Hunter, WREG) 
Justin J. Pearson attends rally outside the National Civil Rights Museum before the Shelby County Commission votes on his reinstatement (Photo by Marcus Hunter, WREG) 
Justin J. Pearson and his fiancée Oceana Gillian at a rally outside the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, before the Shelby County Commission decides on his reinstatement.
She said she has learned a lot from Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson in the short time she has worked alongside them.
“These young people are passionate, they are smart. And they understand the issues and how they affect every single person in their district, and I am so honored the teacher has become the student, and I am learning from these young men,” Johnson said.
Jones also spoke told the crowd that the world is watching what is happening in Tennessee.
“Something is changing in Tennessee. Something is changing in our state that is going to restore democracy and get rid of these forces that are trying to take us backward. So will end by saying this: Forward together and not one step back,” he said.
When Pearson took the stage, he told the crowd this is what democracy looks like.
“This is the democracy that they are scared of. This is the democracy that they are worried about because this is the democracy that changes the status quo, but we’ve got news. The status quo needs changing, and the status quo needs you,” he said
As they left to walk to the County Commission, Pearson told us he felt good about the possible outcome.
“I feel optimistic. I feel determined because people power works,” he said.
When the hundreds of marchers arrived at the County Commission, Pearson was reinstated to his District 86 seat with a unanimous 7-0 vote.
