How is it Remembered?

Dr. King grew up in the heart of Sweet Auburn, a dynamic and prosperous community. In 1980, the U.S. Congress created the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site to protect and interpret Dr. King’s birthplace and the neighborhood in which he grew up.

The block of his birth home has been restored to the same appearance as in the 1930s, when it served as a reminder to young Martin Luther King, Jr. that African-American people could succeed despite segregation. The houses have been rented for residential use to further the feel of a lived-in community.

Visitors can tour 501 Auburn Avenue, the restored Birth Home, as well as the sanctuary of the Ebenezer Baptist Church where Martin Luther King, Jr. worshiped and returned to co-pastor with his father, “Daddy” King, from 1960 until his death in 1968. Nearby, Fire Station No. 6, built in 1894, has been restored and houses an exhibit about the desegregation of the Fire Department.

The National Park Service Visitor Center connects to Auburn Avenue through the Peace Plaza and Rose Garden. The Visitor Center features exhibits and audiovisual programs about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc. was established by Mrs. Coretta Scott King in 1968 to preserve the legacy of her husband. It is also the final resting place of Dr. King, Jr. Its Freedom Hall houses exhibits on Dr. King, Coretta Scott King, and Mahatma Gandhi.

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How is it Remembered?