Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park!

What Is Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park?

This park preserves the first and final resting places of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.!

What Makes It Historical?

Michael King, Jr. was born in a Queen Anne style house in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood of Atlanta January 15, 1929! His grandpa, Rev. A.D. Williams, had bought it in 1909 for the sum of $3,500, and it was fit for three generations of Kings!

With two generations of pastors in the family, it was inevitable that young Martin (changed from Michael In 1934) would go into the family business. He gave his first trial sermon at the Ebenezer Baptist Church a few blocks away in 1947, and the next year, he was ordained a Baptist minister and became associate pastor of the church! This church would bookend his life!

He left for Alabama in 1954, serving as pastor for the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church for six years before returning to Ebenezer. He would set out again, campaigning in Georgia, DC, Alabama, Illinois, and Tennessee, earning a Nobel Peace Prize along the way, until he was shot in Memphis on April 9, 1968.

Dr. King’s funeral was held here at Ebenezer, and here is where his wife, Coretta, set up the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Center, now called the Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc. Dr. and Mrs. King are both entombed here over a reflecting pool next to an eternal flame!

How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?

Volunteer at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park!
Donate to Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park!
Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!

How Do I Get There?

King Birth Home:

501 Auburn Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30312

Ebenezer Baptist Church:

101 Jackson St NE
Atlanta, GA 30312

Historic Fire Station No. 6

39 Boulevard NE
Atlanta, GA 30312

(Take Me There!)

When Should I Visit the Park?

All buildings but the Birth Home are open daily from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM! To tour the King Birth Home, you’ll have to sign up for a tour between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM!