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USA Today
29-04-2025
- General
- USA Today
Fire destroys famed Clayborn Temple in downtown Memphis: 'This really hurts'
Fire destroys famed Clayborn Temple in downtown Memphis: 'This really hurts' Show Caption Hide Caption MLK Jr.'s daughter remembers his 'I have a dream' speech 60 years after the March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King reflects on his iconic 'I have a dream' speech. MEMPHIS, TN — Large portions of the historic Clayborn Temple in downtown Memphis, a key meeting spot for the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike that brought Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the city, burned to the ground on April 28. In a post to X, the Memphis Fire Fighters Association said the call about the fire came in around 1:30 a.m. Memphis Fire Department firefighters were able to put out most of the fire within an hour of arriving on the scene. By 7:30 a.m., firefighters were still putting water on hot spots, and most of the structure had been destroyed. Investigators were on scene to try to determine the cause of the blaze. No one was injured in the fire. Memphis Fire Chief Gina Sweat said she instructed firefighters to do the least possible damage to what remained of the structure as they battled the blaze. The fire department is working with the Memphis Police Department to investigate. Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also on the scene, and additional investigators are heading to Memphis to help, officials confirmed. 'A piece of civil rights history': Tragic Clayborn Temple fire a 'devastating blow' to Memphis and civil rights history 'This is a big blow' Memphis Mayor Paul Young said the historic monument is a jewel to Memphis and to the world. He added that it is "heartbreaking" for the community to see the loss. "This is a big blow. This really hurts. There's a lot of people, including myself, that have been working on this project for many, many years, like I told them, about this, the work is bigger than a building," Young said. "And we can replace structures. We can design around the elements of the structure that will remain, but the work must continue, and I think that is the important point." Anasa Troutman, the founder and executive director of Historic Clayborn Team, said in a statement that the church "suffered a devastating loss due to a fire." "Clayborn's true spirit was never in the walls alone. It lives in us. Even as we mourn, we must remember: resilience is our birthright, but so is the space to grieve," Troutman said. "Our ancestors endured, grieved, rebuilt, and transcended unimaginable losses. We will do the same." Troutman also said she is still committed to the restoration of Clayborn Temple. "For now, we ask for your prayers, your support, and your belief in the enduring power of this place. This is not the end, but a call to remember who we are, and to build again with faith, courage, and abundant love," Troutman said. "If you can support, please visit and give if you can." 'Transformative': Looking forward and back as the Civil Rights Act turns 60 Historic structure had been undergoing renovations The site had been undergoing years of renovations to preserve the iconic structure, but had struggled to get all the funding for needed repairs. In late 2023, a $6 million second phase of restoration to the structure was completed. The phase included preserving stained glass windows and reinforcing the attic, according to previous reporting from The Commercial Appeal, part of the USA TODAY Network. The third phase of renovations was expected to cost about $25 million. During the Sanitation Workers' Strike of 1968, civil rights and labor activists gathered at and organized out of Clayborn Temple. Carrie Louise Pinson, who marched with King, said she drove from Cordova — a community east of Memphis — when she saw the news of the structure burning. Pinson said her early days of activism started at the Clayborn Temple. "It's as if somebody has taken the air out of my body, where I started at 18 years old, fighting for justice. It just makes me tearful. It makes me cry," Pinson said. The National Civil Rights Museum said in a statement from President Dr. Russ Wigginton that the fire is a "devastating blow" to Memphis and the broader community. The church was the "nerve center" of the Civil Rights movement, he said in the statement, and "was a beating heart of a community that chose unity over division, progress over fear, and community over chaos." "Its destruction by fire is another somber chapter in a long story of devastated sacred spaces. But if history teaches us anything, it's this: Clayborn Temple will rise again, because its foundation was never merely physical," Wigginton said. "It was spiritual. It was communal. And that foundation cannot be burned." He also called for coordinated financial recovery efforts, rebuilding the structure, and preserving what is left. "Clayborn Temple was, and will continue to be, a house not just of gathering, but of movement, resilience, and rebirth. Fire can take down walls, but it cannot destroy the spirit that built them," Wigginton said.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Martin Luther King Jr. celebration held in Sioux City
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — Members of the Sioux City community were able to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday night. For more than 40 years, the songs and words of the remembrance of MLK Jr. have rang out through Siouxland. On Monday night, that event took place at Restoration Church. Organizers say it's important to never forget what Dr. King did for civil rights in this country. SCCSD board addresses immigration and deportation concerns 'Such a time as this is so important that we don't forget about the purpose of Doctor Martin Luther King's dreams: to bring about peace and unity,' program chair Sandra Pearson said. 'And of course, during this season, we definitely need peace and definitely need unity.' Dr. Terry Murrell, president of Western Iowa Tech Community College, was the keynote speaker during the event. The celebration was originally scheduled for Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 20 but had to be rescheduled due to cold temperatures. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
