Atlanta, Georgia and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site

While visiting friends in Atlanta, I had the opportunity to Uber over to the Martin Luther King National Historic Site on "Sweet" Auburn Avenue near downtown Atlanta.  The Site includes the National Park Service Visitor Center with exhibits from King's life including the simple horse drawn wooden wagon that carried his body in a casket to his funeral and burial.  It also has movies on his life.  I signed up for a guided tour of the King home where MLK was born and saw the restored homes on Auburn Avenue built in the 1890's.  These upper middle class and working family homes became the center for the affluent African Americans from 1909 when Martin's grand parents moved there.  It has been restored to the time of MLK's childhood in the 1930's and 40's.

The original Ebenezer Baptist Church where Martin was co-pastor with his father has also been restored.  A new, large, modern new sanctuary and community center has been built across the street adjacent to the Visitor's Center.  Finally The King Center houses the Freedom Hall, Dr. and Mrs. King's Tomb and Eternal Flame.  It also has a gift store.

The visiting was moving and inspirational...setting in the pew of the old church where MLK and his father preached and where his funeral was held...re-hearing the "I have a Dream" speech and the "Mountain Top" speech given the night before he was killed, was very moving.  I remember the night of April 4th 1968 seeing the announcement of his killing on T.V. while I was living in New Orleans. I was fortunate to see Dr. King give a moving speech to 15,000 Luther League-rs at the Miami Beach Conference Center in 1960.  To see and hear his speeches again reminded me that he was gifted orator and leader who came forward when our country needed him.  He helped to inspired changes that we needed and still need in race relationships.

Here are a few photos of my visit:

One of the buildings of the King Center with posters referring to the Freedom March to Washington D.C. and the "I have a Dream" speech in 1963.

Another view of the building.

A view of the MLK National Historic Site building.

"I Have A Dream."

The Ebenezer Baptist Church

"Behold," 1990 by Patrick Morelli.  The sculpture reflects the ancient African ritual of lifting a newborn child to the heavens and reciting these words:  "Behold the only thing greater than yourself." The sculpture commemorates the heroic principles that guided the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Inside the Church

The new Ebenezer Baptist Church across the street.

The Community Center next to the new church.

"The Mahatma," Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, 1869-1948, by Kam Sutar of New Delhi, India.
Donated by The Indian Council for Cultural Relations, India.  Dedicated on January 24, 1998 by Honorable Andrew J. Young, civil rights leader, ambassador to the United Nations, Mayor of Atlanta.  Dr. King met with Gandhi and studied with him to learn about the principles of non violent protests.

Civil Rights Walk of Fame.

Historic Fire Station No. 6

Historic Residential Area, "Shot Gun" Houses.

Historic Residential Area on "Sweet Auburn Avenue." 

"King Birth Home." January 15th 1929.

"The Eternal Flame serves as a reminder of the King's undying commitment to their beloved community." 

The reflecting pool surrounds the tombs of Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr..

I then Ubered over to the Civil Right Museum near the Coke Museum and the Aquarium.  This relatively new museum takes the visitor through the civil rights movement in the U.S. such as the the Jim Crow Laws, and the leadership from the Black community to seek freedom and justice in this country.  The bus boycott and the lunch room sit-ins were covered well as was the voters rights as recently scene in the movie "Selma."

The museum also covers the struggles for civil rights through out the world including China, Russia, Africa, and the dictators that led the movements that deprived people of their rights such as Hitler, Idi Amin, Pinochet, Stalin and others. Below are photos taken outside the museum and one photo of the memorial to the four girls killed in a bombing of the congregation of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama on September 16, 1963:  Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, all age 14, and eleven-year-old Cynthia Wesley.  Addie's sister Susan survuved, but was permanently blinded.