As Americans across the nation revolt against the construction of costly, resource-reliant data centers, one budding story out of Tennessee appears to epitomize the exploitation many people have warned about.

Tennessee is just one of several states across the rural South where technology companies have looked to host their data center dreams. This thirst from Big Tech has spurred lawsuits on behalf of Tennessee residents, including one filed by the NAACP over pollution claims involving data centers operated by Elon Musk’s xAI.

And a new fight appears to be brewing over Fisk University’s plan to build a massive data center on its Nashville campus. Capital B reported that some of the project’s backers see it as a means of raising needed revenue for the university, but that rationale doesn’t seem to have assuaged concerns. Per the outlet:

Tennessee already has 60 data centers. In fact, the Fisk project is coming on the heels of another proposed data center near the Nashville Zoo, upsetting residents across the city.

In the weeks since Fisk’s announcement, students and residents have come out in droves to several public hearings opposing the data center.

On June 10, state Rep. Justin Jones stood with residents and fellow Fisk alumni to call out the potential harm the data center posed. He asked other Nashville residents to oppose the center with the same urgency they are using to oppose the one near the city’s zoo.

“If AI data centers are not good for a zoo, then it’s not good for an HBCU,” Jones said.

The NAACP has taken a stand against harmful data centers with its “Stop Dirty Data Centers” initiative. In a statement to MS NOW, the organization’s director of environmental and climate justice, Abre’ Conner, sided with critics of Fisk’s plan:

We stand in solidarity with the earth justice groups who recognize that Black and other frontline communities have borne the brunt of the environmental and climate injustices from data centers. We are pro-innovation, but not at the expense of shortening the lifespan of Black people. This must be the priority when building a dirty data center at a renowned HBCU. 

In a press release announcing a community town hall, state Sen. Charlane Oliver tried to strike a balance.

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Ja’han Jones

Ja’han Jones is an MS NOW opinion blogger. He previously wrote The ReidOut Blog.