The New Tri-State Defender

05/31/2026

Why the Whitehaven STEM Center remains unused months after ribbon-cutting

Then-interim Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Roderick Richmond views a mural inside the James Herbert STEM Center during the facility’s opening celebration. A state forensic audit later found the center had not yet become operational for instructional use. (Lee Eric Smith/The Tri-State Defender) For most of the 2025-26 academic year, students at Whitehaven High School have migrated between classes, passing by a shiny new facility aimed to bring out the sleeping mathematicians and scientists in Southwest Memphis....

For most of the 2025-26 academic year, students at Whitehaven High School have migrated between classes, passing by a shiny new facility aimed to bring out the sleeping mathematicians and scientists in Southwest Memphis. But with the school year concluded, they’ll have to wait until at least next ...

05/31/2026

Mosley’s Ghalen explores family, identity and the complicated path to manhood

“Ghalen: A Romance in Black” by Walter Mosley, c.2026, Amistad, $30.00, 360 pages Take care. What a nice thing for someone to say as they take their leave! Be well. Stay safe. Be careful, watch where you walk, be mindful so you can see one another again. Take care – and, as in the new novel, “Ghalen” by Walter Mosley, take care of others, too....

“Ghalen: A Romance in Black” by Walter Mosley, c.2026, Amistad, $30.00, 360 pages Take care. What a nice thing for someone to say as they take their leave! Be well. Stay safe. Be careful, watch where you walk, be mindful so you can see one another again. Take care – and, as in the new […]

05/30/2026

Memphis welcomes Fergie Philippe, Black lead in Broadway’s “Beauty & the Beast” at The Orpheum

With the return of Disney’s “Beauty and The Beast” to Broadway, Memphis will soon behold the African-American actor and puppeteer who will interpret the lead role of Beast in the latest touring production. The Orpheum Theatre will host “Beauty and the Beast,” its final show of the 2025-2026 season, June 2-7. The production returns after a 25-year hiatus and features members of the original creative team along with a significant addition....

With the return of Disney’s “Beauty and The Beast” to Broadway, Memphis will soon behold the African-American actor and puppeteer who will interpret the lead role of Beast in the latest touring production. The Orpheum Theatre will host “Beauty and the Beast,” its final show of the 2025-202...

05/30/2026

Honorary street sign honors Gladys Ann Hunter Sawyer’s Memphis legacy

The life and legacy of Gladys Ann Hunter Sawyer — a Memphis-born entrepreneur, civic leader, arts supporter and family matriarch — were honored with the unveiling of an honorary street sign in front of the home where she was raised. The sign, unveiled by Memphis City Councilwoman Pearl Eva Walker, marks Decatur Street near Jackson Avenue and recognizes Sawyer’s contributions to Memphis across her 72 years of life....

The life and legacy of Gladys Ann Hunter Sawyer — a Memphis-born entrepreneur, civic leader, arts supporter and family matriarch — were honored with the unveiling of an honorary street sign in front of the home where she was raised. The sign, unveiled by Memphis City Councilwoman Pearl Eva Walke...

05/29/2026

Memphis filmmaker Teresa Dickerson’s feature film *Hoop Street* has been selected to screen at the 30th Annual American Black Film Festival, making it one of only 11 films chosen in the U.S. Narrative Features category. The Memphis-made film tells a powerful story of trauma, resilience, redemption, and the pursuit of purpose through the eyes of a young basketball player fighting for a second chance.

With a cast, crew, and soundtrack powered by local talent, Hoop Street shines a national spotlight on the creativity, grit, and heart of Memphis.

Read more at [www.tsdmemphis.com]

05/29/2026

‘America’s 250 is our history as well’

Time was, kids could learn how the U.S. Congress makes laws by watching Schoolhouse Rock on Saturday mornings. Sing along if you know it: "I'm just a bill, just an ordinary bill, and I started out on Capitol Hill…" But Schoolhouse Rock is gone. So are the civics and American government classes that were once required to graduate high school. And when Memphis-based mentor Tony Nichelson asks a teenager about the Bill of Rights today, he often gets a blank look in return....

Time was, kids could learn how the U.S. Congress makes laws by watching Schoolhouse Rock on Saturday mornings. Sing along if you know it: “I’m just a bill, just an ordinary bill, and I started out on Capitol Hill…” But Schoolhouse Rock is gone. So are the civics and American government class...

05/29/2026

Supreme Court rules for Black death row inmate from Mississippi over racial bias in makeup of jury

By Mark Sherman WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday, May 28, ruled for a Black death row inmate from Mississippi who claims there was racial bias in the makeup of the jury that convicted him. By a 5-4 vote, the justices sided with Terry Pitchford, who was sentenced to death for his role in the killing of a grocery store owner....

By Mark Sherman WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday, May 28, ruled for a Black death row inmate from Mississippi who claims there was racial bias in the makeup of the jury that convicted him. By a 5-4 vote, the justices sided with Terry Pitchford, who was sentenced to death for his role in ...

05/29/2026

The latest edition of The Tri-State Defender is LIVE!

From breaking news and politics to culture, community, and the stories shaping Memphis, this week’s e-edition has it all. Tap in and stay connected to the city and voices that matter most.

Read now: [https://issuu.com/thenewtristatedefender/docs/the_tri-state_defender_-_may_28_2026?ff](https://issuu.com/thenewtristatedefender/docs/the_tri-state_defender_-_may_28_2026?ff)

Dive into our extensive resources on the topic that interests you. It's like a masterclass to be explored at your own pace.

05/28/2026

New city impasse procedure in the works, veto override tossed

Mayor Paul Young vetoed an amendment that pared down the city’s impasse procedure from three arbitrators to a single mediator. (Gary S. Whitlow/Tri-State Defender) Memphis City Council members scrapped a veto override of a reworking of the city’s impasse procedure during the Tuesday, May 26 meeting. On May 12, Mayor Paul Young vetoed an amendment that pared down the city’s impasse procedure from three arbitrators to a single mediator....

Memphis City Council members scrapped a veto override of a reworking of the city’s impasse procedure during the Tuesday, May 26 meeting. On May 12, Mayor Paul Young vetoed an amendment that pared down the city’s impasse procedure from three arbitrators to a single mediator. A new proposal featur...