Martin Luther King Jr. National Monument

This is the MLK Jr. National site near downtown Atlanta. It is a newish monument - and exciting all of the things that are planned and opening. The National Monument is run in conjunction with several other non-profits including the Martin Luther King Jr. Center where MLK and Coretta Scott King are buried. The MLK Center also hosts exhibits and conferences.


Below is the Ebenezer Baptist Church where MLK, his father, and his grandfather all were preachers. It is right down the street from his boyhood home. The church just reopened, remodeled as it was in the 1960s - it just reopened in April 2011, so I felt lucky to get to see it.



Below is the new Ebenezer Baptist Church across the street from the old church.



These are the shotgun houses across the street from the King house. The National Monument wants to buy all of the buildings in the neighborhood - restore the outsides to their 1960s look and then rent the houses out to people (I assume there would be lots of rules for the renters). The monument is near downtown Atlanta - and their goal in buying the neighborhood is to close the streets so it is an entire walking area for visitors.






Below is the King home. One of the stories the guide told was that all of the King children were expected to read the paper, be aware of current events, form opinions about current events, and then defend their position on events over dinner - where they came to the table dressed up. I loved standing at the table imagining those conversations.





Below is the grave site for MLK and Coretta Scott King. It was beautiful and peaceful.