Clayborn Temple facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Clayborn Temple
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The church from the Historic American Buildings Survey
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | 294 Hernando St, Memphis, Tennessee |
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| Area | 0.6 acres (0.24 ha) |
| Built | 1891 |
| Architect | Kees & Long; E.C. Jones |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002478 |
| Added to NRHP | September 4, 1979 |
Clayborn Temple is a very important historic building in Memphis, Tennessee. It was once called Second Presbyterian Church.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This was because of its amazing architecture. Later, in 2017, it became even more important. This was due to its big role in the 1968 Sanitation Workers' Strike. The church was sold in 1949 to the A.M.E. Church. They renamed it after their bishop.
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History of Clayborn Temple
In 1888, the Second Presbyterian Church decided to build a new church. They bought land for it in Memphis. Construction started on February 2, 1891. The church held its first service on January 1, 1893. All the city's Presbyterian pastors joined the celebration.
In 1949, the church moved to a new location. They sold the old building to the African Methodist Episcopal Church. This church renamed it Clayborn Temple. During the 1960s, Clayborn Temple became a key place. It was a main meeting spot for the civil rights movement in Memphis. It was especially important for the Memphis sanitation strike.
Architecture of the Building
This church was built in 1891. It is designed in the Romanesque Revival style. It has strong stone blocks and large wooden beams. The roof has a unique cross shape.
One special thing about the church is its chancel. This is the area around the altar. It is in a corner, not in the middle. When it opened, it was the largest church of its kind. It was the biggest south of the Ohio River.
Clayborn Temple and Civil Rights
Throughout the 1960s, Clayborn Temple was a central place. It was the main gathering spot for the civil rights movement in Memphis. People saw that unfairness in the city was linked to money problems. Labor unions had tried for years to fix things. They wanted to end unfair treatment and low pay for city workers.
On February 1, 1968, two sanitation workers died. Their names were Echol Cole and Robert Walker. This event brought many groups together. Sanitation workers, unions, churches, and Black community leaders joined forces. They started a powerful movement in Memphis.
The Memphis Sanitation Strike
On February 12, 1968, 1,300 sanitation workers went on strike. They worked for the Memphis Public Works Department. T.O. Jones and Jerry Wurf led the strike. They were leaders from the AFSCME union.
Every day, the strikers marched 1.3 miles. They walked from Clayborn Temple to City Hall. Other local groups helped them. They made sure the workers' families had food. These groups included the Mallory Knights and the Invaders. There was also C.O.M.E., a group of 150 ministers. Reverend James Lawson led C.O.M.E.
Ministers from Clayborn Temple were also very involved. Rev. Ralph Jackson gave strong speeches to strike supporters. Rev. Malcolm Blackburn was Clayborn's pastor. He was a consistent white supporter of the movement. He opened the church for meetings and gatherings.
Dr. King's Visit
In March 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to Memphis. He came to support the sanitation workers. Reverend Lawson and C.O.M.E. invited him. They wanted to bring national attention to their fight. Dr. King and the SCLC helped plan a big march. Dr. King would lead it.
On Thursday, March 28, many people gathered at Clayborn Temple. They were waiting for Dr. King. Nearly 15,000 people joined the march. Students from Memphis schools even left class to be there. Dr. King arrived around 11:05 am. He and the sanitation workers led the march.
After marching only a short distance, things changed. Young people in the march became upset. There was a rumor that police had hurt a student. This led to some damage and unrest. The police reacted strongly. They used force against both peaceful marchers and the youth. Reverend Lawson and Rev. Jackson told everyone to go back to Clayborn Temple.
The marchers went back to the church. Police surrounded the building. One person said the inside of Clayborn looked like "the aftermath of a war." Many people inside were hurt and scared. Police attacked those who tried to leave. They used mace, tear gas, and clubs. At one point, police even entered the church.
The day ended with 4,000 National Guard troops in the city. Two hundred eighty people were arrested. Sixty people were reported injured. A sixteen-year-old boy, Larry Payne, died that day. He was shot by a police officer. Larry Payne's funeral was held at Clayborn Temple on April 2, 1968.
Dr. King was taken back to his hotel when the march became unsafe. He promised to return to Memphis. He wanted to lead a peaceful march. King came back a week later. But he was assassinated on April 4, 1968. This happened before his second march from Clayborn. On April 16, a deal was finally made. The sanitation workers got union recognition and better pay. The strike officially ended.
After Dr. King's Death
After King's death, Clayborn Temple remained important. It was a safe place and meeting spot for the Civil Rights Movement. The church was used a lot during the 1969 Black Monday protests. Ezekiel Bell and the NAACP led these protests.
Black Mondays aimed to get African Americans on the school board. They also wanted to further desegregate schools. In November 1969, large meetings were held at Clayborn Temple. Thousands of protesters marched from the church. Reverend Ralph Abernathy, Dr. King's successor, led them. Clayborn Temple was the center of these protests. A deal was reached in late November. Two African Americans were appointed to the school board.
Disrepair and Restoration
Over time, Clayborn's church group became smaller. It was hard to keep up the large building. Eventually, the group moved out. The A.M.E. Church left the building empty for over ten years.
Since 2015, a group of people from Memphis has been working. They are fixing up the church. The project is expected to finish in 2026. It will include a museum and a courtyard.
