From Memphis to Selma: The Legacy of Mr. Joe Calhoun (Part 2 of 2)

Local & National News | May 10, 2026 | 12:25 a.m. CDT

Written by: Gilbert Barnes Carter III

This article is the second in an exclusive 11-part story series to feature the life and legacy of Mr. Joe Calhoun and promote his personal memoir - 9 LIVES: REINVENTION OF AN INVADER. It will be released in 2026.

"I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams, still being out here doing the same thing. My oldest granddaughter is 25. My son is 50. We should not be fighting for the same things in this country, which is supposed to be the greatest country in the world. We are a laughing stock."

Mr. Joe Calhoun - Sunday, March 8, 2026

The 6 - 3 U. S. Supreme Court decision to utterly deconstruct Section Two of the Voter Rights Act of 1965 on Wednesday, April 29 is indicative of a time displaced America. The dystopia spread like an apocalyptic flash flood to Nashville on Thursday, May 8, as the white GOP supermajority legislature voted unanimously to approve a dubious congressional redistricting plan. The 9th U. S. Congressional District, which was established forty years before the Voter Rights Act of 1965 was codified, is currently divided into three districts based on a fear-based ploy to minimize the long-standing political power and representation of Black voters exclusively in Memphis and Shelby County.

Ms. Jasmine Bernard, co-founder of Youth Minds United, was very active in Selma,  Alabama during Jubilee festivities in observance of the 61st anniversary of what is commonly known as "Bloody Sunday."

"Besides the obvious racism of it all, it definitely proves the fragility of electoral politics and democracy in America in a very clear way."

The national congressional redistricting conflict will undoubtedly become much more intense ahead of the 2026 mid-term elections. A mass protest was held in Montgomery outside of the Alabama State House to coincide with the congressional and state Senate redistricting plan special session of the Alabama state legislature on Monday, May 4. Protests were held in Birmingham on the same day. The Virginia Supreme Court voted against the Democratic congressional redistricting plan on Friday, May 8.

Mr. Richard Massey is a sensational young organizer and public speaker. He has been at the tip of the spear during local environmental justice, housing equity, LGBTQIA+ rights, and police reform campaigns; and his field work as an intern with The Equity Alliance. He placed a strong emphasis on the genesis of the conflict.

"The Callais ruling (Louisiana v. Callais) is a devastating blow to our hard-fought, fundamental freedoms. Especially in southern states, where our access to the ballot box has constantly come under attack - from targeting voter rolls, to eliminating voter drop boxes, to restricting third-party registration."

Mr. Derrick Johnson, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), issued a direct challenge for Black Americans to identify the "false equivalency" of the two-party political system during an interview on The Breakfast Club with Ms. Mimi Brown.

Exactly two months ago...

I saw a resemblance of the America that Mr. Joe Calhoun wants for everyone to thrive in exactly two months prior on Sunday, March 8 in Selma, Alabama. The massive collection of marchers - from members with the national Rainbow PUSH Coalition, to volunteers with Black Voters Matter, to well coached and young Black scholars with the South Fulton Kappa League - stood in monotony for a time on Broad Street, as most of the invited dignitaries were verbose in making announcements and remarks ahead of them crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The monotony became weariness for many. But the appeal of Mr. Calhoun, with his homemade trademark protest sign, was far more meaningful than customary socializing at the street level. It was escapism for those who actively ignored the grandstanding and posturing on the stage. It was escapism for many who instantly had auspicious engagement with a relatable Civil Rights champion. And the majority of those who engaged with him were pre-teenage and teenage children and young adults.

Mr. Damon Peebles, a decorated and veteran communications professional, has served as a freelance journalist, photographer, segment producer, senior producer, and video editor for over two decades. He has provided invaluable contributions in brand name news rooms such as CNN, Scripps News, and associated affiliate outlets. At CNN, he had oversight of two production units and video editor producers, among other leadership capacities. At Scripps News, he provided direction as a segment producer. He has modeled personal and professional excellence for adult peers and for schoolchildren as a video production instructor at the middle school level. He currently provides coaching and guidance with the South Fulton Kappa League. He is one of many exceptional individuals who gravitated to Mr. Calhoun to extract inspiration along the way.

Ms. Rainyé Johnson, a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama who now lives in Little Rock, provided a copious amount of praise for Mr. Calhoun.

* "It was truly an unforgettable experience to stand alongside Joe Calhoun in Selma, Alabama. Knowing that he has been marching since 1968 made the moment even more powerful. It was deeply moving just to be in his presence. To now say that I marched with him in 2026 is something I will carry with me forever. Seeing so many people come together to honor and appreciate him was beautiful beyond words. I feel incredibly grateful to have been a part of such a meaningful moment and to witness it all in real time."

Ms. Rainyé Johnson

I can affirm that Mr. Joe Calhoun will always be fit for service with regard to his activism. He certainly does not consider his involvement in Selma in particular to be ceremonious, as it is an indication of how Americans still have to convene and facilitate disruption to protect their most basic civil and human rights in 2026. Voter suppression has absolutely no merit in the version of America that Mr. Calhoun wants for everyone to thrive in.

9 LIVES: REINVENTION OF AN INVADER will be available in eBook (PDF) and paperback formats exclusively via The Book Patch (Wilshire Press) in 2026.

"This book is an account of my life as an environmental, human, and civil rights activist since 1967 after moving to Memphis."

"The content of this book is for individuals and groups who want to move the country forward. It is for individuals who embrace unity and love as we move the country forward together."

"The content of this book is to be used as another tool by individuals to stop all of the dividing that is taking place across the country."

Next Article: FEBRUARY 7, 1950 - AN INVADER IS BORN...

Photo Credit:

Cover Photo by: Mr. Nathan Watson - Bham Now

Video Credits:

The Breakfast Club

Mr. Damon Peebles - Damon Peebles Photography

* Source:

* The excerpt is from 9 LIVES: REINVENTION OF AN INVADER. It is the personal memoir of internationally renown Civil Rights Foot Soldier and icon - Mr. Joe Calhoun. It is currently being written by Gilbert Barnes Carter III. It will be available in eBook (PDF) and paperback formats exclusively via The Book Patch (Wilshire Press) in 2026.

Gilbert Barnes Carter III is a Memphis-based author, child welfare advocate, community organizer, emerging farmer, gardener, journalist, and social justice advocate. He began his social justice advocacy and work by serving as a Shelby County Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Board volunteer in 2005. He has worked since then to effectuate change for low-wage, immigrant, and migrant workers as a Temporary Workers Campaign Manager with Workers Interfaith Network; an advocate for Teamsters Local 667 sanitation workers; and a community / field organizer to uphold blight reduction, efficient public mass transit, environmental justice, food access, food justice, food security, narrative change, and public safety.