MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A 19th century church in Tennessee that fell into disrepair despite the notable role it played in the civil rights movement is now being resurrected. With its tall tower and multicolored stained glass windows, the Clayborn Temple in downtown Memphis was the home base for the sanitation workers strike that brought civil rights leader Martin Luther King. Jr. to the city 49 years ago.

It was the starting point for the March 28, 1968 march led by King, a rally that turned violent when police and protesters clashed on the iconic Beale Street. After King was assassinated in Memphis a week later, and after the strike ended with the workers securing a pay raise, the church’s influence waned. It fell into disrepair and became an empty landmark overshadowed by the modern FedEx Forum sports arena across the street.

Shuttered for years, the Clayborn Temple is returning to glory as one of the most significant buildings associated with the civil rights movement in the South. Work to stabilize the building is complete. Now, the goal is to fix up the church for meetings, religious ceremonies, community events and other gatherings. Fred Davis, a former Memphis City Council member who walked next to King during the 1968 march, said the Clayborn Temple was a symbol of the civil rights activities of the 1960s that is being brought back to life. “It can be a place for recreation, education, and communication that can take place for citizens of all hues and convictions in this city,” said Davis.

For years, the church was among the most visible structures in Memphis. The cornerstone was laid in 1891, and it was dedicated in 1983 by the Second Presbyterian Church. Built in the Romanesque Revival style, it boasted a limestone exterior, hardwood floors, curved pews, a majestic organ, and a 110-foot tower topped with a 120-foot spire. The spire and pews are long gone, but the tower, organ and parts of the original floor remain. The church bell sits in an alcove, ready to be re-installed.