Memphis Heritage Trail - Memphis, TN - Tennessee Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Memphis Heritage Trail
Memphis Heritage Trail (MHT) is a cultural district and an expansive community redevelopment plan to celebrate the rich business, cultural, and musical heritage of African American achievements in Memphis, Tennessee. MHT covers a historic 20-block redevelopment area in South Memphis and also has nodes of linkage to the historic Orange Mound and the Soulsville USA communities. Encompassing the area is the southern quadrant of downtown and the South City redevelopment area. This project brings heritage tourism, urban redevelopment and citywide pride to important public spaces that chronicles the African American journey. It aims to educate and promote an appreciation for diversity, history, and culture to a global audience through authentic interactive experiences that create community investments and economic opportunities.
Mason Temple
Mason Temple is the world headquarters and international sanctuary of Church of God in Christ, one of the oldest and largest African American religious denominations. Bishop Charles Harrison Mason, the son of former slaves, founded the church in 1897. Within 10 years, COGIC had grown to include churches in West Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi. After the Memphis church was destroyed by a fire in 1936, it was rebuilt despite wartime shortages in steel and other materials. Re-opened in 1945, it was renamed Mason Temple after its founder. When Mason died in 1961, he was entombed in a marble crypt in the church. His son-in-law, J.O. Patterson, Sr., was elected bishop after and influenced the church's direction. During the Civil Rights Movement, Mason Temple was a refuge and strategy center for the movement's leaders. On April 3,1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final speech - "I've Been to the Mountaintop" - to thousands of supporters of the Sanitation Workers' Strike. He was assassinated the following day. Patterson's nephew, G.E. Patterson, later founded the Temple of Deliverance, the Cathedral of Bountiful Blessings in 1975. Under his leadership, his congregation grew by the thousands. Upon his return to Mason Temple in 1986, he introduced advancements to expand COGIC's reach. The changes revolutionized the way ministries connect with their congregants. In 2000, Patterson was elected Presiding Bishop. He passed away in 2017. Mason Temple remains a symbol of faith and strength in the Memphis community. COGIC currently has 8 million members worldwide and is established in 112 counties.

Marker Name: Memphis Heritage Trail Marker Location: City Type of Marker: Building Marker Number: NA Group(s) Responsible for placing Marker: Memphis Heritage Trail

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