THE 901 REPORT

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Who is Tami Sawyer?

Tami Sawyer is the Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk and a former Shelby County Commissioner from Memphis, Tennessee. She rose to national attention in 2017 as the lead organizer of the #TakeEmDown901 campaign that resulted in the removal of Confederate statues from Memphis parks.

Political career

  • Elected Shelby County Commissioner, District 7, in 2018
  • Ran for Memphis Mayor in 2019, finishing third
  • Elected General Sessions Court Clerk in 2022

2026 federal indictment

In 2026, Sawyer turned herself in to federal authorities on a sealed indictment. The specific charges remain under seal as of publication. Read our reporting on the timeline and what is — and isn't — known publicly.

→ Court Clerk Tami Sawyer turns herself in on sealed federal indictment

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All commentary, analysis, headlines, and framing reflect the protected opinion of The 901 Report based on publicly available records, primarily the City of Memphis FY2027 Proposed Operating and CIP Budget. Dollar figures, exhibit references, and page citations are drawn directly from those public documents. Readers are encouraged to review the source materials and reach their own conclusions. See our Legal & Disclaimers page.