By: Elise Herron
Memphis is known for its monuments and museums honoring black history, but it’s also where many pivotal events took place. This month and any month, you can visit the sites where history happened and experience the local legacy of black activism and enterprise up close. Here are some places to pin.
Universal Life Insurance Building
480 Dr. M. L. K. Jr. Avenue
This office building was built in 1949 to house the country’s fourth-largest black-owned insurance company. Its architects, Moses and Calvin McKissack, chose its Egyptian Revival style to stand out from the western styles dominating Memphis’ midcentury cityscape. The building was restored by Self + Tucker Architects in 2018.
Mason Temple
930 Mason Street
The Mason Temple is the international sanctuary and central headquarters of the Church of God in Christ. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was a hub of local civil rights activities and the stage for Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Mountaintop” speech. While Sunday services are no longer held there, tourists are welcome to visit.
Beale Street Baptist Church
379 Beale Street
Known as the “Mother of Black Churches,” Beale Street Baptist Church was built by and for survivors of slavery after the Civil War. In 1892, it served as Ida B. Wells’ office for the Free Speech, Memphis’ first black newspaper. A memorial plaza and life-size statue, which were unveiled in her honor last summer, are located right next door.
Robert R. Church Park
Corner of Beale and Fourth Street
On the other side of Beale Street Baptist Church, you’ll find the city’s first park for black citizens and visitors. It was founded in 1899 by Robert R. Church as part of “Church’s Park and Auditorium,” one of the only southern centers for black recreation during segregation. It now serves as a downtown greenspace and the site of countless cultural events.
To discover more local black landmarks, visit Memphis Heritage Trail or download their app. You can take a virtual tour of the South Memphis, Downtown, Orange Mound and Soulsville neighborhoods that highlight key figures and events in Memphis black history.
You might also be interested in: Memphis Celebrates 200 Years: Here’s How You Can Get Involved
