Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

I had the opportunity to spend some time at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta. The site includes the birth home of the civil rights leader, Ebenezer Baptist Church, the King Center, historic Fire Station No. 6, and the surrounding historic residential area. There is a lot of history compacted into a few square blocks of the downtown area. Tours are given free of charge of King’s birth home off of Auburn Avenue and they are chock full of interesting facts about his life as well as his experiences of growing up in a time when segregation was the norm. King’s tomb that he shares with his wife Coretta Scott King is also a part of the national historic site. Cascading pools surround the tomb which is next to an eternal flame that burns night and day.

The mural outside of the visitors center of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

The mural outside of the visitors center of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Ken Chitester takes a photo of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site marker in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Ken Chitester takes a photo of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site marker in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Dayashontay Wilson (left) and Quanasha Dubose look at the Freedom Walkway exhibit at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Dayashontay Wilson (left) and Quanasha Dubose look at the Freedom Walkway exhibit at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

The tomb of Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

The tomb of Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Inside the sanctuary of Ebenezer Baptist Church where Martin Luther King Jr. served as co-pastor with his father in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Inside the sanctuary of Ebenezer Baptist Church where Martin Luther King Jr. served as co-pastor with his father in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

The birth home of Martin Luther King Jr. off of Auburn Ave. in the old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

The birth home of Martin Luther King Jr. off of Auburn Ave. in the old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Elaine Edwards talks with visitors before beginning a tour of the birth home of Dr. King at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Elaine Edwards talks with visitors before beginning a tour of the birth home of Dr. King at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Ahmad Hall (right), Jessie Wenzel, Gere Perry and Jill Bartee follow Elaine Edwards onto the front porch of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth home off of Auburn Ave.at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Ahmad Hall (right), Jessie Wenzel, Gere Perry and Jill Bartee follow Elaine Edwards onto the front porch of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth home off of Auburn Ave.at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Elaine Edwards (left) talks about Martin Luther King Jr. as she gves a tour of his birth home at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Elaine Edwards (left) talks about Martin Luther King Jr. as she gives a tour of his birth home at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Elaine Edwards (left) talks about Martin Luther King Jr. as she gves Husen Wijaya (right) and others a tour of his birth home at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Elaine Edwards (left) talks about Martin Luther King Jr. as she gves Husen Wijaya (right) and others a tour of his birth home at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Elaine Edwards (top right) gives Bruce Walton, Bev Walker, Enid Sewell, Agnes Wallace and James and Ben Ayeni a tour as they walk through the birth home of Dr. King at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Elaine Edwards (top right) gives Bruce Walton, Bev Walker, Enid Sewell, Agnes Wallace and James and Ben Ayeni a tour as they walk through the birth home of Dr. King at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Gere Perry (left), Ben Ayeni and Jill Bartee walk through the birth home of Dr. King at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Gere Perry (left), Ben Ayeni and Jill Bartee walk through the birth home of Dr. King at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

The kitchen in the birth home of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

The kitchen in the birth home of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

James Ayeni (right), Bev Walker and Jessie Wenzel walk through the birth home of Dr. King at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

James Ayeni (right), Bev Walker and Jessie Wenzel walk through the birth home of Dr. King at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

The historic homes off of Auburn Avenue are preserved as they were decades ago as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

The historic homes off of Auburn Avenue are preserved as they were decades ago as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Visitors to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site take a look around the outside of the King Center in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Visitors to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site take a look around the outside of the King Center in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Val Thompson takes a photograph of Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr.'s tombs at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Val Thompson takes a photograph of Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr.’s tombs at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Bev Walker (left) and her husband Horatio talk in front of Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr.'s tombs at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Bev Walker (left) and her husband Horatio talk in front of Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr.’s tombs at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Mary Wagner (center) takes a photograph of Bruce Walton (left) and Sharon Strange Lewis in front of the eternal flame and Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr.'s tombs at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Mary Wagner (center) takes a photograph of Bruce Walton (left) and Sharon Strange Lewis in front of the eternal flame and Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr.’s tombs at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

 

Betty McDonald looks at the plaques on the ground as she makes her way through the Civil Rights Walk of Fame at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

Betty McDonald looks at the plaques on the ground as she makes her way through the Civil Rights Walk of Fame at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.