Built between 1891 and 1892 in the Romanesque Revival style, this imposing structure originally housed Second Presbyterian Church until the congregation moved east in 1949. The building was then sold to the African Methodist Episcopal Church and renamed Clayborn Temple. It stands today as both an architectural treasure and a cornerstone of the Civil Rights Movement—forever linked to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers’ Strike, where “I AM A MAN” signs were printed and communities rallied for justice. On April 28, 2025, a devastating fire engulfed its interior, underscoring the urgent need to safeguard and restore this nationally significant landmark.
