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6d ago

Clayborn Temple Fire Confirmed as Arson, Investigators Offer Reward for Suspect

The April 28 blaze destroyed the interior of the historic Memphis church, a key site in Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1968 sanitation workers' strike.

FILE - Firefighters gather outside the historic Clayborn Temple, a landmark from the civil rights movement with ties to Martin Luther King Jr., after it caught fire, April 28, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Karen Pulfer Focht, File)
FILE - The historic Clayborn Temple, a landmark from the civil rights movement with ties to Martin Luther King Jr., caught fire, April 28, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Karen Pulfer Focht, File)
FILE - Firefighters douse the historic Clayborn Temple, a landmark from the civil rights movement with ties to Martin Luther King Jr., with water after it caught fire, April 28, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Karen Pulfer Focht, File)

Overview

  • Investigators have determined the April 28 fire at Clayborn Temple was deliberately set and are searching for a suspect.
  • Authorities are offering an $11,000 reward for information leading to the identification of those responsible for the arson.
  • The fire caused a total loss of the church's interior, though the facade has been stabilized and may be salvageable.
  • Clayborn Temple, built in 1892, holds significant historical importance as the headquarters for the 1968 sanitation workers' strike led by Martin Luther King Jr.
  • The church was undergoing a multimillion-dollar restoration project aimed at preserving its legacy and revitalizing the surrounding neighborhood.