The Dickinson brothers, Luther and Cody, are back with new music.
The sons of legendary producer Jim Dickinson just released their latest music video in support of their new album “Still Shakin’.” Produced by Katie Keller, Jeff DeLia, and Boo Mitchell, the new album shows an evolution of the Allstars’ bluesy sound into a more atmospheric mode.
The video for “My Mind is Ramblin'” was shot by the Allstars and friends on smartphones on tour and in Memphis. Memphis filmmaker Chad Allen Barton pulled the pieces together in a elegant edit that reflects the songs’ mood. Take a look:
If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com.
FedEx, based in Memphis, scored the maximum $10,000 rebate for each of its 13 subsidiaries. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Some of the world’s largest companies and the governor’s family business received Tennessee’s biggest new business tax rebate, according to a listing released by the Department of Revenue.
Lee Company, a mechanical engineering and HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services company owned by Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s family, joined Amazon, FedEx, Nissan, Hankook Tire, 84 Lumber, AT&T, and utilities such as Atmos Energy and Alabama Power in netting franchise and excise tax rebates of more than $10,000 each created by a 2024 state law. Memphis-based FedEx, with 13 subsidiaries, landed the maximum rebate for each one, and Japanese-owned Nissan filed for six subsidiaries that each received the rebate.
A governor’s spokesperson did not respond to questions Monday, but his office consistently says he put his interest in Lee Company into a blind trust during his governorship, though he could benefit when he leaves the post late in 2026.
Other notable companies among the 16,000 receiving the state’s maximum break in its business property tax include Bridgestone, Ingram Partners, Aegis Sciences, Ajax Turner, Ascension Care, BNSF Railway Co., Carhartt Inc., Ford Motor Co, Volkswagen, Coca-Cola Bottling, Denso Manufacturing, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Gannett Co., Frito-Lay Inc., Pilot and Pilot Travel Centers, and Brown-Forman, the owner of Jack Daniel’s.
In all, about 60,000 companies received three-year refunds ranging from less than $750 to between $750 and $10,000.
FedEx, based in Memphis, scored the maximum $10,000 rebate for each of its 13 subsidiaries. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
The estimated $1.5 billion in refunds and tax cuts, a large number of them made to out-of-state companies, appears to be having an immediate impact on the state budget. Tennessee’s business tax collections on property and earnings are $335 million short of projections through the first four months of the year — 11 percent off the mark — according to the Department of Finance and Administration. The tax cut amounts to more than $400 million annually.
Tennessee lawmakers approved the refunds and franchise tax break in 2024 when Department of Revenue officials said the state faced legal threats over its business taxes.
Despite the shortfall, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) said in a Monday statement: “I believe now, as I did at the time, that the rebates were the most responsible course due to the strong probability that the state would be in a worse fiscal position after impending litigation. Based on the advice of the attorney general, we were simply not willing to take that kind of risk with Tennessee’s financial future on the line and I stand by that decision.”
Other lawmakers such as House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) said last year they supported Gov. Bill Lee’s legislation because it was good policy, not because of legal threats. Some 80 companies reportedly sent letters to the state requesting rebates.
“Conservative budgeting and fiscal responsibility over the past decade have placed our state in a strong financial position,” Lamberth said in a statement Monday. “The significant tax cut we approved last year reinvested dollars right back into the businesses, communities and workers that fuel the Volunteer State’s economy.”
The state’s lists, which will be on the Department of Revenue website for only 30 days, don’t detail the exact amount of rebates, but the largest amount could run from $10,000 to $75,000.
State Sen. Heidi Campbell, a Nashville Democrat, blasted the move as a “corporate tax refund scheme” and encouraged people to check the list to see which companies are benefiting. Campbell said lawmakers approved the measure without a lawsuit or court ruling,
“Just a letter from corporate attorneys and a political class eager to please.” Campbell added the state is dealing with its biggest budget deficit of the year as a result.
The legislature refused to take action this year on grocery sales tax reductions, one sponsored by Democrats accompanied by an effort to go after offshore accounts used to hide income and one backed by Republicans that offered no way to offset the revenue loss.
“This is the real cost of trickle-down economics: corporate handouts while working families get left behind. It’s fiscally irresponsible and morally indefensible,” Campbell said.
The advocacy group Tennessee For All, which supports elimination of the grocery tax, criticized the state’s refunds, saying companies are exploiting the program.
“Instead of closing loopholes so families can get a break on groceries, the majority of legislators chose more corporate giveaways,” said Angela Wynn, a Rutherford County parent and member of Public School Strong, a partner in the Tennessee For All coalition.
The group pointed toward reports by two Democratic lawmakers using state information from 2022 and 2025 that show more than 60 percent of corporations operating in Tennessee pay nothing in excise taxes on income.
Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.
The Kosten Foundation's Kick It Pickleball Tournament
The Kosten Foundation and the Kick It Pickleball Tournament kicked it during the three-day event, held May 16th, 17th, and 18th at Shadowlawn Park in Arlington, Tennessee.
According to a news release, close to $50,000 was raised “to help fund pancreatic cancer research, thanks to the local pickleball community, tournament participants, generous sponsors, silent auction, and giveaway donors, volunteers, and supporters.”
And, it says, “The Kick It Pickleball Tournament accommodates players across various divisions, including men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles, all structured in a round-robin format. The tournament welcomes participants of varying skill levels, ensuring an exclusive and engaging experience for all attendees.”
The release says since 2023, the Kosten Foundation “has donated more than $3 million to pancreatic cancer research. The Foundation’s latest round of research grants helped fund research teams in Dallas, New York City, and Edinburg, Texas. In an add-on to its research efforts, the Kosten Foundation hosts the only free, in-person, and virtual pancreatic cancer support group in the Mid-South.”
Tupelo, Mississippi — the city where Elvis Presley took his first breath and dreamed his biggest dreams — is once again ready to celebrate its most iconic son. The Tupelo Elvis Festival returns June 4th through 7th, bringing four days of music, art, and memories to Downtown Tupelo, with events that highlight both the legacy of Elvis and the vibrant creative spirit of his hometown.
This year, the festival takes on a more intimate and historic tone, with the centerpiece of the celebration moving to the Lyric Theatre — the very place where a young Elvis once watched movies and was inspired by the magic of performance. It’s a fitting venue for a festival dedicated to the life and legacy of the King of Rock-and-Roll.
A highlight of the week is the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, a thrilling competition sanctioned by Elvis Presley Enterprises. Some of the world’s best tribute artists will grace the Lyric Theatre stage, channeling the charisma, voice, and energy that made Elvis a legend.
In addition to the competition, the Lyric will feature two signature evening concerts: That ’70s Show on Friday night, a dazzling tribute to Elvis’ iconic Las Vegas era, complete with jumpsuits, big vocals, and all the glitz fans love; and the Pure Elvison Saturday night, a powerful musical journey through the life and music of Elvis Presley, performed by some of the best tribute artists in the business.
Beyond the music, this year’s festival features a Pop-Up Art Show at the GumTree Museum of Art, showcasing original artwork from past Tupelo Elvis Festival posters. It’s a visual tribute to the evolution of the festival and the artistic inspiration Elvis continues to spark.
Car enthusiasts will love Ride Like the King, a classic and custom car show taking place in the Cadence Bank Arena parking lot on Saturday. While the Running with the King 5K returns for those looking to combine fun and fitness. This annual favorite invites runners and walkers of all ages to hit the pavement in a spirited salute to Elvis — costumes encouraged!
A new and exciting addition this year is TCB at The Depot, a two-night series of free live music at The Depot, Downtown Tupelo’s newest venue. Friday night features the soulful rock of Drunken Prayer, while Saturday, June 7th, brings a high-energy performance from The Kudzu Kings.
While you’re in town, don’t miss a visit to the Elvis Presley Birthplace, where you can step inside the modest two-room house where Elvis was born, explore the museum, and visit the church where he first sang gospel.
From tribute performances to fine art, classic cars to rock-and-roll nights under the stars, the Tupelo Elvis Festival continues to evolve while staying true to its roots. Celebrate the legacy of Elvis in the town where it all began — June 4th through 7th in Downtown Tupelo.
Judd Grisanti and Randall Swaney (Credit: Michael Donahue)
It’s a marriage made in Mississippi.
Beginning May 19th, chef Judd Grisanti will begin cooking his cuisine on Monday and Tuesday nights at Marshall Steakhouse in Holly Springs, Mississippi. He’s known for his cuisine at Grisanti restaurants, including the old Ronnie Grisanti & Sons and Spindini restaurants.
He and Marshall Steakhouse owner Randall Swaney are longtime friends, Grisanti says. They also have farms close to each other. “We’re always talking farm business,” Grisanti says. “Both talking about the hogs he was raising, and the stuff I was doing, cattle and horses, and whatnot.”
About two weeks ago Swaney asked Grisanti, “How would you like to do a Grisanti’s at Marshall Steakhouse on Monday and Tuesday nights?”
Grisanti answered in the affirmative. He said, “Man, I think it’s a great idea.’
For one thing, it would get him back cooking in a restaurant a couple of days a week, which was perfect, Grisanti says.
It also was perfect for Swaney. “Because the economy has been kind of bad for the past year,” Swaney says. “My business for seven years was up until August ’24. And then it went down. Like the rest of the country. We’re down about 10 percent.”
He was racking his brain — as well as praying about — how to get more business. Then, he says, a lightbulb went off. He ran into Grisanti four times last month. He thought, “Wait. I’ve already got a building. A whole kitchen. And nobody’s in there. What a perfect opportunity to open up a completely different restaurant on Monday and Tuesdays.’”
And there are all those people who follow Grisanti on social media “who would love to eat at a Grisanti’s restaurant. And now we have one inside Marshall Steakhouse. This is a huge winner for everybody.”
Grisanti’s dad, the late Ronnie Grisanti, was one of his inspirations when he opened Marshall Steakhouse, Swaney says. Ronnie would go into the dining room and speak to the customers. Swaney does the same thing. “The owner acknowledging the customers is something I learned and never forgot.”
Grisanti says his “biggest battle” was picking the dishes. “There are so many. Right?” Grisanti says.
“The first couple of days we’re going to start off doing what I call ‘chef’s picks.’ Judd’s favorite all-time classics dishes.”
Guests can expect to see Grisanti’s pan-seared “Halibut Rombo” with roasted red pepper pesto over white wine risotto topped with peekytoe crab and micro arugula.
He also will feature the meatballs in rustic pomadoro sauce, topped with hard ricotta salata cheese, a dish he and his dad came up with.
Grisanti also will be doing some steaks, including his “Filet de Manzo con Gorgonzola.” It’s the one I’ve been doing for 40 years,”Grisanti says. “We could never take it off the menu. An eight-ounce filet — roasted garlic encrusted, bacon wrapped, and stuffed with gorgonzola cheese, and served with sautéed mushrooms and veal demi glaze.”
Appetizers will include prosciutto-wrapped grilled jumbo shrimp with roasted garbanzo beans, and a play on Italian humus, with roasted red peppers and ‘black olive salt.’ (I take) Kalamata olives and I dehydrate them and they become hard as stone. I put them in a coffee grinder. My own salt.”
Grisanti say he’ll have his tiramisu and his “Miss Mary” or “Mia Nona” salad, his Caesar Salad with black garlic, and, for dessert, his home-made tiramisu.
And, Grisanti says, “We will have wines we normally have at Grsasnti’s.” These include a Badia a Coltibuono Cetamura chianti.
Later on, he will add more classic Grisanti dishes, including manicotti, lasagna, and ravioli. For now, he wants to “just give a little taste of what we can do and, hopefully, just grow from there.”
The restaurant will seat “only 130 guests each night because we don’t want it to be overwhelmed. We want everybody to have a good experience.”
People can make reservations on Yelp! or the Marshall Steakhouse Facebook page. But, Grisanti says, “We’re not going to turn you away at the door.”
Tennessee’s plans for passenger rail — and similar plans around the country — are likely on hold during the Trump Administration but a group of Congressional Democrats are trying to get them back on track.
The Biden-era Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a $1.2 trillion bipartisan law, provided $1.5 billion in 2021 to encourage intercity passenger rail projects, through planning grants and more. However, the portion of the law funding these projects is set to expire next year.
Hope seems dim for passenger rail planning as President Donald Trump slashes government funding for agencies across the federal government. For rail projects specifically, Trump pulled a $64 million planning grant in April for a Texas high-speed rail project that would connect Dallas and Houston. On Tuesday, Trump told reporters he pulled $4 billion from a California rail project, citing cost overruns.
However, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-9th District) and a two other transportation leaders in Congress filed a bill Wednesday to extend passenger rail funding to 2031.
The bill would reauthorize rail planning programs with $7.5 billion between Fiscal Years 2027 and 2031. It has the support of Rail Passengers Association, SMART Transportation Division, Southern Rail Commission, and Transportation for America, Cohen said.
“As a longtime advocate of passenger rail service, I urge my colleagues to support the federal-state partnership that is preparing the United States for a surge in rail travel,” Cohen said in a statement. “I am looking forward to one day taking Amtrak along the recently identified Memphis-Nashville-Chattanooga-Atlanta corridor that is being funded by a Corridor ID grant and, eventually, along a route linking Memphis to Little Rock and beyond. Passenger rail is the future, and this bill ensures its ongoing support.”
Cohen is a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He is joined in filing the legislation by U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (Nevada-1st District), a ranking member of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials; and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee member U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten (Michigan 3rd District).
While it may seem implausible in Tennessee that any issue has support from both sides of the aisle, passenger rail does. In a 2022 bipartisan effort, Tennessee lawmakers asked a group of government experts to study the potential of linking Tennessee’s biggest cities via passenger rail.
In March 2023, Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly submitted an application for federal funds in partnership with the mayors of Atlanta, Nashville, and Memphis to begin planning for a new Amtrak route through those cities.
Credit: State of Tennessee
In 2023, that group of state government experts — the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) — reported that passenger rail lines here would increase connectivity and tourism here. In December 2023, the Atlanta-Chattanooga-Nashville-Memphis group of mayors announced they’d won a $500,000 planning grant from the feds to study possible routes here.
It was not immediately clear whether those funding efforts were still underway or still funded through the federal grant. We’ll update this story as we hear from state officials and/or other experts on the matter.
The 2023 TACIR report said the top priority for rail service in Tennessee should be a line that connects Nashville and Atlanta through Chattanooga. The line would connect the largest amount of people and create the biggest economic impact.
Credit: State of Tennessee
The report said the second priority for rail service here would be a route to connect Memphis and Nashville on population size.
“The route would connect Tennessee’s two largest cities, and connecting areas with large populations is often a key to success for passenger rail projects, although neither of these cities has as many people as Atlanta,” reads the report.
But the route would give Nashville (and other cities along the route) a connection to Memphis’ Amtrak service, which runs from Chicago to New Orleans, the report said. Freight volumes on existing lines from Memphis to Nashville are lower than other cities. Also, the route lacks “geographic barriers” of other proposed lines, apparently meaning the lack of hills and mountains would make it easier to build.
Reneé Davis Brame,
Jenny Odle Madden, and
Rae Kestrel (Photo: Steve Roberts)
Have you heard? The rumors are true — opening night of Theatre Memphis’ latest show went off without a hitch, though the same can’t be said for the characters. That’s right, folks, Fleetwood Mac has nothin’ on Neil Simon. (Okay, I promise I won’t do any more rumor puns.) Anyone who loves theater will have at least heard of Neil Simon, one of the most popular American playwrights of the 20th century, and anyone who loves Neil Simon will probably appreciate a good farce. Rumors, then, will not disappoint.
(Trigger warning: this play, and subsequently this review, mentions suicide.) Rumors opens on the evening of a fancy dinner party, although we learn in about the first five seconds that this particular soirée is not going to plan. It’s Myra and Charley Brock’s 10th wedding anniversary, and their friends are dressed to the nines and will be arriving soon to celebrate. The problem is Myra’s nowhere to be found and Charley, who happens to be the deputy mayor of New York, has blown off his own earlobe in what might have been a botched suicide attempt. No one really knows what the whole ear thing is about, but in order to avoid scandal, the Brocks’ friends decide that this (*gestures wildly*) fiasco cannot get out. Reputations are on the line, after all, including that of party guest Glenn Cooper, currently running for state senate. To 2025 audiences, it may seem almost quaint that such silly things could have the potential to jeopardize a campaign. After all, if 34 felony convictions don’t hurt your political career, what will? But those were the times.
Because this play was written in the late 1980s and premiered in 1988, its content might be somewhat shocking to the younger subset of modern viewers. To sum it up bluntly, there are aspects of this play that would not be considered politically correct today. To me though, Rumors stands the test of time in large part because it is so obviously criticizing the types of people portrayed onstage. It’s helpful to know that the playwright himself wrote the story to shed light, and not a very flattering one, on the fact that great liars are practically above reproach in our society. Charm and a good yarn can get you out of almost anything, especially if you’re rich. One of the main themes of this show is the disastrous effect of miscommunication, but instead of being preachy about it, Simon chose to serve up the lesson on a hot platter of comedy.
Let me put it this way, if you love Keeping Up with the Kardashians, this is the play for you. Watching out-of-touch rich people totally lose their shit while being as catty as possible is, after all, wildly entertaining. And the characters in Rumors are as loaded as they are toxic. There were some genius line-readings in this production, and trust me, the end of act two is 100 percent worth the wait. Gabriel Thomas Kestral as Lenny Ganz as Charley Brock (it makes sense when you’re watching the show) delivered a monologue for the ages. The cast had their timing down to perfection, which is essential in a fast-paced, zany show like this one. The payoff was an enthralled and delighted audience. It’s always great to see the wackiest physical comedy paired with witty dialogue, and while pulling off both at the same time is difficult, this cast nailed it.
Visually, Rumors is stunning, with the ’80s brought to life by the two-story set and flashy costumes. The costumes, in the wildly saturated finery of 1988, were enough to make me glad for the recent crunchy-lifestyle dismissal of polyester. Still, they were gorgeous to look at and lent the characters a glittering, color-coded mythical quality.
Rumors is everything a theater-goer could hope for in a farce. Don’t bring the kids to this one, as it definitely has some adult themes and colorful language. But do go and enjoy watching some oddball characters make bad choices. This is a situation so ludicrously removed from reality that it’s amusing instead of stressful, but don’t take my word for it.
Felicia Willett-Schuchardt and husband Clay Schuchardt (Photo: Michael Donahue)
After a three-year wait, Felicia Suzanne’s restaurant at 383 South Main Street is now open. And the restaurant, owned by Felicia Willett-Schuchardt and her husband, Clay Schuchardt, is every bit as fabulous as people thought it would be.
She and Clay began looking for a new location in 2019, Felicia says. They previously were down the street on North Main Street. “We’d been there on that pedestrian mall 20 years,” she says.
“We wanted to stay Downtown,” Clay says. They live in the South Main district. “We are trying to bring back Downtown and bring people to this area again.”
They originally planned to open the new Felicia Suzanne’s in seven or eight months. But, Felicia says, “We were so invested in it we wanted to open it when it was right.”
The new space is a lot different from their old location, which used to house the old Lowenstein’s department store. “It was really one large main room,” Clay says.
With the new building, they were able to create several rooms, each with its own personality. Felicia wanted to get back to the original idea she had for her restaurant when she opened it. “Over the years we became the rehearsal dinners spot because of the patio. And a special occasion spot.”
She wanted the new restaurant to have “more of a neighborly bistro feel. Approachable.” The old Felicia Suzanne’s had white tablecloths, but now, she says, “We have these beautiful oak tabletops that were made by Old City Millwork Inc.”
“The building needed more love than we anticipated. We had to completely gut it and rip out all the plumbing and electrical. That’s another reason it took a little longer for us to open.”
They put in a walk-in cooler, an office, and a dish room. In addition to private dining rooms, the restaurant includes the main dining room, a bar area with table seating, a side porch with seating, and a back patio with seating.
They’ll continue to host special occasions at the new restaurant, Felicia says. “We’ve got a wedding booked in October. We’ve got rehearsal dinners coming up, graduation dinners, business dinners.”
Her new menu includes her low country and Creole classics, but will evolve into more bistro-type fare. “We’ve even purchased a pasta machine. We’re going to include homemade pastas in the future.”
The current menu features favorites from her old location, including the Sunday Sugo, a dish described on the menu as “Rich Red Gravy featuring Home Place Pastures Beef & Pork, Parmesan Risotto.”
“This is an opening menu. These are signature items people have not had in three years,” Felicia says.
Over the next several months, Felicia will introduce new dishes, including a chilled seafood platter, steak frites, and West Indies crab salad, which is a dish Clay’s mother is known for. It includes fresh lump crabmeat, olive oil, vinegar, salt, black pepper, Vidalia onions, and hot sauce, and you eat it with saltine crackers.
She also will include a library of different recipes she collected over 23 years “that will rotate seasonally.”
In the next couple of weeks, they will introduce a “small bites menu,” featuring some of Felicia’s classics like her deviled eggs, which already are on the main menu, and her short rib grilled cheese, a country loaf filled with braised short ribs and white cheddar cheese, topped with béchamel sauce and “baked until golden and bubbly.”
Then there’s Flo’s, which is slated to open in time for the holidays. The space on the north side will feature seating for 32 and will include their old “Friday lunch favorites,” including gumbo, chicken enchiladas, po’boys, and grilled cheeses. People also can get grab-and-go meals for the week at Flo’s. “Flo is my nickname in New Orleans [where she worked for chef Emeril Lagasse for eight years]. And Flo’s is the product line that’s our pickled jalapeños, our tomato jam, and our green tomato chow chow.”
Felicia never stopped cooking after her old restaurant closed. “We were catering and doing private events the whole three years.”
When the old Spindini spot became available, Clay and their business partners urged her to open the restaurant there. It was a perfect fit for Felicia Suzanne’s and Flo’s. “They didn’t have to twist my arm too much,” she says. “This is in my blood. This is what I’m supposed to do.”
Shock, sadness, and a promise to persevere dominate reactions from community leaders and organizations Monday on the overnight fire which gutted Clayborn Temple in Downtown Memphis.
This morning, we woke up to heartbreaking news: a devastating fire has ravaged one of our city’s greatest treasures, Clayborn Temple.
Clayborn is more than a historic building. It is sacred ground. It is the beating heart of the civil rights movement, a symbol of struggle, hope, and triumph that belongs not just to Memphis but to the world.
Standing in the shadow of that steeple, generations of Memphians found their courage. Today, in the face of this tragedy, we must find ours once again.
We grieve deeply for what has been lost, but we also stand ready to honor Clayborn’s legacy the only way we know how: by coming together to restore, rebuild, and remember.
The spirit of Clayborn Temple cannot be burned away. It lives in every act of justice, every fight for equality, every dream of a better future that takes root in Memphis.
I want to personally thank the brave firefighters who responded so quickly this morning. And I pledge to the people of Memphis: our city will stand with the leaders, funders, and caregivers of Clayborn Temple to help ensure this sacred place rises again.
Clayborn Temple has seen struggle before, and it has always overcome. So will we.
Anasa Troutman
founder and executive director of Historic Clayborn Team; founder and CEO of The Big We
Credit: thebigwe.com
Early this morning, our beloved Historic Clayborn Temple — a sacred landmark in our city and our nation — suffered a devastating loss due to a fire.
Our hearts are heavy with grief. For decades, Clayborn and the iconic I AM A MAN signs born in its basement have stood as an international beacon of resilience, faith, and the work to build beloved communities. It is a living testament of our past sacrifices and our future hope. Clayborn’s true spirit was never in the walls alone. It lives in us.
Even as we mourn, we must remember: resilience is our birthright, but so is the space to grieve. Our ancestors endured, grieved, rebuilt, and transcended unimaginable losses. We will do the same.
To everyone who has loved, supported, and prayed for Historic Clayborn Temple, we are still committed to her restoration. The spirit of Clayborn is stronger than any fire. We are deeply grateful to the Memphis Fire Department and other authorities for their swift and courageous response.
For now, we ask for your prayers, your support, and your belief in the enduring power of this place. This is not the end, but a call to remember who we are, and to build again with faith, courage, and abundant love. If you can support, please visit Clayborn.org and give if you can.
Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy
Today, Memphis stands at a poignant crossroads, grappling with two profound events echoing the city’s complex history and enduring spirit.
Steve Mulroy via Facebook
I’m so saddened to hear that a fire ravaged Clayborn Temple, the site of Dr. King’s last address. Despite early reports, I’m hoping that this historic and sacred space can be restored. Without the brave efforts of the Memphis Fire Department, things could have been even worse.
Meanwhile, we start the trial of police officers accused of killing Tyre Nichols. I’m hoping for justice for Tyre and a renewed awareness of the need for policing reforms as we strive toward better realizing Dr. King’s vision.
We meet setbacks in our journey to the mountaintop, but the climb continues.
We Are Somebody
(nonprofit for the working class)
We Are Somebody stands on the shoulders of the movements that Clayborn Temple birthed, we are devastated by the news of the fire this morning. pic.twitter.com/uwbJVVDGzh
Clayborn Temple was influential in the Civil Rights movement and served as a launch pad for a march for sanitation workers’ rights in Memphis.
Without Clayborn Temple, We Are Somebody doesn’t exist as we know it. Our mission is rooted at the intersection of civil rights and labor rights, our logo calls back to the famous I Am A Man signs that came out of Clayborn Temple. We Are Somebody stands on the shoulders of the movements that Clayborn Temple birthed.
While the loss of the physical structure is devastating, the spirit of the civil and labor rights movement can never be burned down. We will continue to uplift the history of our movements, recognize the struggle those who came before us faced, and celebrate the accomplishments of their sacrifice and hard work.
Dr. Russ Wiggington, president
National Civil Rights Museum
Russ Wiggington via LinkedIn
The recent fire that consumed Clayborn Temple is a devastating blow, not only to Memphis but to the nation. This historic church, a nerve center of the Civil Rights Movement, was more than just bricks and stained glass; it was a beating heart of a community that chose unity over division, progress over fear, and community over chaos.
Clayborn Temple stood as a symbol of organized resistance and hope during the 1968 Sanitation Workers’ Strike. When marchers filled its sanctuary, it wasn’t just about better wages; it was about dignity, about declaring that Black lives and labor mattered in a city that often acted indifferent. In the years since, despite cycles of neglect and efforts at preservation, Clayborn Temple remained a powerful reminder that in the face of obstacles, violence, and hatred, collective action and faith can build something stronger.
Its destruction by fire is another somber chapter in a long story of devastated sacred spaces. But if history teaches us anything, it’s this: Clayborn Temple will rise again, because its foundation was never merely physical. It was spiritual. It was communal. And that foundation cannot be burned.
Make no mistake, the spirit of “Community Over Chaos” is stirring. Leaders, activists, stakeholders, and ordinary citizens should be rallying, just as they have for generations. Financial recovery efforts must be coordinated. Preservationists should be examining the remains to save what they can. Plans for rebuilding — not just restoring the past, but reimagining Clayborn Temple for future generations — must be underway.
We rebuild and protect. The protection strategies have now become mission-critical: fire-resistant construction materials, modern surveillance, integrated fire prevention systems, and stronger community engagement must anchor the rebuilding. But just as important will be reaffirming what Clayborn Temple always stood for: justice through unity, faith in action, and an unwavering refusal to yield to adversity.
Memphis has a choice: mourn in isolation or rebuild in solidarity. History — and Clayborn Temple’s own story — points clearly toward the second. Chaos may have been embedded in a fire, but the community will light the way forward.
Clayborn Temple was, and will continue to be, a house not just of gathering, but of movement, resilience, and rebirth. Fire can take down walls, but it cannot destroy the spirit that built them.
State Sen. Raumesh Akbari
Sen. Raumesh Akbari
Sen. Raumesh Akbari via Facebook
“Heartbroken to wake up to the news that Clayborn Temple — sacred ground for the Civil Rights Movement — has burned.
Clayborn was never just wood and stone; it was a beacon where Memphis sanitation workers demanded dignity, where faith carried hope, and where courage took root. To all who fought to restore it, and to all who believed in its future, this loss is devastating. On that historic stage, I was able to speak at the Women’s March in 2017, a surreal experience.
The spirit and living legacy of Clayborn will endure. It must. And from these ashes, we will rise. Memphis always has.
Tristan Keutmann and Mason Ballard at Tattoo Fest Memphis '25 (photo Michael Donahue)
If you didn’t get to Tattoo Fest Memphis (the new name for the former “Memphis Tattoo Fest”), here’s a video showing some of the tattoo recipients and their tattoo artists in action.
Whether it’s a leg, foot, or arm, Bodies are the canvases.
This was the second year of the festival, which was held April 4th, 5th, and 6th at Renasant Convention Center.
As Quinn Hurley, director of operations for the three-day festival, says, “This is an artistic show. Everyone that’s here is here because they love some form of art. A lot of it’s tattooing, but we have our vendors that make art as well. And so we wanted the festival to reflect the love of that.”
