Please join us for the Knox County District 5 meeting via Zoom.
The Gem Theater was a focal point of the African American community in East Knoxville. The first wave of urban removal destroyed the Gem, along with the Carnegie Library and 15 churches. This first wave also segregated African Americans from downtown Knoxville and simultaneously turned the residents of East Knoxville from home owners into tenants.
This happened because the people affected were systematically excluded from participating in the political processes that made these decisions.
Mayor Dan Brown, who was personally affected by urban removal, will be with us on April 15 to talk about the legacy of urban removal and new opportunities to right this injustice in Knoxville.
We will also have Tamara Stevens, a voter rights activist from Georgia, to discuss the renewed efforts to systematically exclude African Americans from the process. Tamara was with Representative Park Cannon when Georgia State Troopers arrested Representative Park for trying to witness Georgia's renewed assault on access to the ballot. Ms. Stevens will discuss what we will need to do to overcome these new obstacles to voting.
We will also have updates on our efforts to dismantle systemic racism in Knox County, our direct voter contact efforts, KCDP party news, and general good fellowship.
We are still searching for a precinct chair for 69N. If you are able to serve, please let us know.