Memphis Church Where MLK Gave Final Speech Gets $1.2M Renovation

Federal grant to modernize Mason Temple, site of King's 'Mountaintop' address on eve of assassination

Apr. 17, 2026 at 12:52am

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A photorealistic painting of the exterior of the Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee, with the building bathed in warm, golden sunlight and deep shadows, capturing the nostalgic, cinematic mood of the site's historic significance.The historic Mason Temple in Memphis, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his final speech, will undergo a $1.2 million renovation to preserve this sacred Civil Rights landmark.Memphis Today

The Church of God in Christ in Memphis, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous 'I've Been to the Mountaintop' speech the night before his assassination, is receiving a $1.2 million federal grant to upgrade the church's sound system, technology, and structural improvements.

Why it matters

The Mason Temple is a historic site of the Civil Rights Movement, where King gave one of his most powerful and prophetic speeches just hours before his death. Preserving and modernizing this hallowed ground honors King's legacy and the ongoing fight for racial justice.

The details

The $1.2 million in federal funding will be used to upgrade the Mason Temple's sound system and other technology, inspect the church's foundation, and make structural improvements to the building. The church was completed in 1945 after the original was destroyed by fire, and today serves as the world headquarters for the Church of God in Christ.

  • On April 3, 1968, King delivered his 'I've Been to the Mountaintop' speech at Mason Temple.
  • King was assassinated the following day, April 4, 1968, at the nearby Lorraine Motel.
  • The $1.2 million federal grant was recently announced to renovate the historic church.

The players

J. Drew Sheard

Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ.

Steve Cohen

U.S. Representative for Tennessee's 9th congressional district.

Paul Young

Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee.

Melton Timmons

Superintendent of national properties for the Church of God in Christ.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Civil rights leader who delivered his final speech at Mason Temple the night before his assassination.

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What they’re saying

“It is the living witness of a movement that changed the entire world. As long as the Church of God in Christ exists, we will honor that witness.”

— J. Drew Sheard, Presiding Bishop, Church of God in Christ

“I've seen the Promised Land. … I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land.”

— Martin Luther King Jr.

What’s next

The $1.2 million federal grant will be used to begin renovations at the Mason Temple in the coming months.

The takeaway

The restoration of the Mason Temple, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his final and most prophetic speech, is a vital effort to preserve a hallowed site of the Civil Rights Movement and honor the legacy of one of America's greatest leaders.