Arson blamed for fire that ravaged historic black Memphis church

The Memphis Fire Department this week said an April fire inside the Clayborn Temple was intentionally set. Local authorities responded to the blaze in the early morning of April 28 and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined the investigation into the incident. The church was in the midst of a restoration project at the time of the fire and one wall collapsed as a result of strong winds and storm conditions two days after the blaze, according to the fire department. Much of the historic church’s sanctuary was destroyed in the fire. Authorities on Wednesday said they were searching for a person of interest in the arson and the fire department said it had relinquished control of the site back to the Historic Clayborn Temple management team.

What is the history of the church? Founded in 1892 as Second Presbyterian Church, an African Methodist Episcopal Church congregation purchased the building in 1949 and changed its name to Clayborn Temple. In 1968, the church served as the headquarters for Memphis sanitation workers’ Strike in which African American workers demanded higher wages, safer working conditions, and recognition of their union. The campaign’s “I AM A MAN” signs were made in the church’s basement and Martin Luther King Jr. led a march through Memphis as part of the protest. Two months after the march, King returned to Memphis and gave his final public speech before he was assassinated the following evening.

Why is the building being renovated? Clayborn Temple closed in 1999 and fell into disrepair, according to the church. The National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2018 named the building a National Treasure. A $14 million restoration project to revitalize the building is ongoing and will include performance space, a gallery, a museum, and a community center. The initial phases of the restoration included stabilizing the building’s structure, reconditioning and installing the church’s stained glass windows using original glass fragments, and restoring the bell tower. According to the church’s website, it aims to become a hub for Memphis’ cultural economy. It is unclear how the fire will affect the restoration project.

Dig deeper: Read my report about a string of church burnings in New Zealand.