LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- A fire early Wednesday destroyed the former headquarters of a major black social organization, which was to be remodeled into a museum on African-American life.
The fire began at about 2 a.m., eventually leading to the three-story building's collapse. The cause of the fire was not immediately determined. Some nearby buildings had minor damage.
Built in 1911, the building was the national headquarters for the Mosaic Templars, which had chapters in 26 states as well as six foreign countries.
The Mosaic Templars Building Preservation Society announced a campaign last summer to raise money for a planned $8.6 million renovation. The state Department of Heritage was to oversee the museum.
The Mosaic Templars began in 1883, providing life insurance and burial insurance to members. The organization grew to include an array of other benefits as it took on tens of thousands of members, according to the preservation society.
In 1913, Booker T. Washington dedicated the building for the Templars. In the 1950s the center hosted acts that included jazz greats Cab Calloway and Ella Fitzgerald.
