Tennessee's Republican-controlled legislature has approved new congressional district maps that divide Memphis's 9th Congressional District into three separate districts, effectively ending the political career of longtime Representative Steve Cohen.

Cohen, who has represented Memphis for 19 years and will turn 77 later this month, said he had not planned to retire and had not lost a primary. The redistricting was approved by the state legislature and signed by Governor Bill Lee earlier this month.

In a statement responding to the redistricting, Cohen said Tennessee Republicans had "silenced the Black vote here in Memphis to make Republican victories likely." The 9th district has historically been a Democratic stronghold with significant African American representation.

The redistricting effort in Tennessee is part of broader national discussions about gerrymandering and electoral representation. Political scientists have noted the ongoing challenges posed by partisan redistricting processes that occur following each decennial census.

In response to redistricting efforts in Southern states, the NAACP has called for Black student-athletes to boycott colleges in states where new congressional maps are being drawn. The organization is urging these athletes to withhold their college commitments as a form of protest against what they view as efforts to diminish Black political representation.

The redistricting process follows the 2020 census and represents one of several state-level map redrawing efforts that have generated controversy over allegations of partisan gerrymandering and impacts on minority representation.