TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Apr 22, 2021

Longtime state Senator Thelma Harper has died, the Nashville Post reports. Harper was the longest-serving woman in state Senate history, as well as the first African American female state senator. She served the state’s 19th District for three decades. "Whether she was fighting landfills for her neighbors, serving a community organization or leading a hearing in the legislature, Thelma Harper was a strong voice for her community, for justice and our most vulnerable children," the Senate Democratic Caucus said in a statement. "While this is a sad day for Tennessee, our state is a better place for her legacy of leadership. Thelma Harper loved the Tennessee Senate and the Tennessee Senate loved her right back." Harper decided not to run for re-election in 2018 and was replaced by then-Rep. Brenda Gilmore.