The Memphis church pivotal in Martin Luther King Jr.'s final days suffers a devastating fire

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A historical Black religion successful downtown Memphis that was the organizing constituent for Martin Luther King Jr.'s last run successful 1968 caught occurrence aboriginal Monday greeting and suffered important damage.

“This greeting we woke up to heartbreaking news: a devastating occurrence has ravaged 1 of our city's top treasures, Clayborn Temple,” Memphis Mayor Paul Young wrote successful a connection posted to societal media. “Clayborn is much than a historical building. It is ineffable ground. It is the beating bosom of the civilian rights movement, a awesome of struggle, hope, and triumph that belongs not conscionable to Memphis but to the world.” King was drawn to Memphis successful 1968 to enactment immoderate 1,300 predominantly Black sanitation workers who went connected onslaught to protestation inhumane treatment. Two workers had been crushed successful a garbage compactor successful 1964, but the faulty instrumentality had not been replaced. On Feb. 1, 1968, 2 much men, Echol Cole, 36, and Robert Walker, 30, were crushed successful the compactor. The 2 men were declaration workers, truthful they did not suffice for workmen’s compensation, and had nary beingness insurance.

Workers wanted to unionize, and fought for higher wage and safer moving conditions. City officials declared the onslaught amerciable and arrested scores of strikers and protesters.

The Clayborn Temple was undergoing a $25 cardinal restoration that was slated for completion successful 2026. The inaugural aims to sphere the architectural and humanities integrity of the Romanesque revival religion and includes the restoration of a 3,000-pipe expansive organ. At the aforesaid time, the task seeks to assistance revitalize the section vicinity with a museum, taste programing and assemblage outreach, according to a quality merchandise connected the renovation.

Just southbound of Beale Street, Clayborn Temple was built successful 1892 arsenic the Second Presbyterian Church and primitively served an all-white congregation. In 1949, the gathering was sold to an African Methodist Episcopal congregation and renamed Clayborn Temple, according to the release.

Memphis sanitation workers started striking successful February 1968 aft Cole and Walker were killed connected the job.

The Clayborn Temple hosted nightly meetings and the campaign’s iconic “I AM A MAN” posters were made successful its basement. The temple was besides a staging constituent for marches to City Hall. They included a March 28, 1968, march led by King, a rally that turned convulsive erstwhile constabulary and protesters clashed connected the iconic Beale Street, and a 16-year-old was killed.

When marchers retreated to the temple, constabulary fired teardrop state inside. People broke immoderate of the stained-glass windows to escape. King promised to pb a second, peaceful march successful Memphis, but helium was killed by a sniper portion lasting connected the balcony of the Lorraine Motel connected April 4.

After King was assassinated and the onslaught ended with the workers securing a wage raise, the church’s power waned. It fell into disrepair and was vacant for years earlier the renovation effort that took disconnected successful 2017 acknowledgment to a $400,000 assistance from the National Park Service.

Clayborn Temple was placed connected the National Register of Historic Places successful 1979.

Memphis occurrence officials connected Monday greeting had not yet said what they judge caused the fire.

Young pledged that the metropolis volition “help guarantee this ineffable spot rises again.”

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Loller reported from Nashville, Tennessee.

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