 Districts similar to today's 8th (composing of rural areas in northwest Tennessee) have been in place since Reconstruction.During the early 20th century, most of northwest Tennessee was represented by Democrats Finis J. Garrett (1905 to 1929), Jere Cooper (1929 to 1943), Clifford Davis (1943 to 1953), then Cooper again from 1953 to 1957. Cooper was succeeded by Fats Everett, who served until his death in early 1969.The district's current form of including Memphis suburbs began in 1967 due to a re-districting caused by the Baker v. Carr ruling.