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How the Restoration of Clayborn Temple Paves the Way for a More Equitable Future
Once the epicenter of civil rights movement, this Memphis landmark offers a chance to harness the power of a historic protest.
By
Shayla Martin
STEVE JONES COURTESY OF NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
On February 1, 1968, the streets of Memphis, Tennessee, flowed with rainwater. The downpour overwhelmed sewers, making it all but impossible for sanitation workers to perform their already grueling tasks. Two workers, Echol Cole and Robert Walker, sought shelter from the storm in the back of their garbage truck. When an electrical switch malfunctioned, they were crushed. Their tragic deaths sparked outrage, but when the Memphis Public Works department refused to compensate their families, the community had had enough. ....

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