ATLANTApix: Ebenezer Baptist Church

Ebenezer Baptist Church

On this day in 1968, the funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr. was held at Ebenezer Baptist Church in the community of Sweet Auburn in Atlanta, Georgia. Approximately 100,000 mourners gathered for the funeral even though the church could only hold 800.

The original Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta was founded in 1886, during the reconstruction era of the city. The congregation moved into a newly built church, today known as the Heritage Sanctuary, on Auburn Avenue in 1914 where King was baptized and would eventually serve as co-pastor with his father.

The "Heritage Sanctuary" is currently undergoing renovations and is part of the Martin Luther King National Historic Site, managed by the National Park Service. A completion date for Phase II of the restoration project, which will return the sanctuary to its appearance in 1960-1968, when King was pastor at the Church, has not yet been established.

Immediately across the street is the new "Horizon Sanctuary" of Ebenezer Baptist Church, which was dedicated in 1999 and continues the 125 year legacy of the Church.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: MLK Birth Home

Martin Luther King, Jr. Birth Home

While the celebrations of Black History Month may be wrapping up, the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continue to reverberate throughout the world. King's birth home, part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Site, is open year-round for those times you want to reflect on the impact of his works or need inspiration to forge forward with your own.

The MLK Birth Home, managed and operated by the National Park Service, was built in 1895 and purchased by King's paternal grandfather in 1909. Martin Luther, "ML," was born in the residence on the second floor on January 15, 1929. 

Tours are limited to a certain number, so be sure to plan ahead.

ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!

ATLANTApix: Dreams, Visions and Change

Martin Luther King, Jr.

On January 15, 1929, a child was born in an upstairs bedroom at 501 Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Martin Luther King, Jr., known in childhood as "M.L.," would grow up to be a charismatic leader, an agent for change, awarded the Spingarn Medal in 1957, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, and posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 (the highest U.S. honor bestowed upon a civilian).

The Marting Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site  (previous post) in the Sweet Auburn District is hosting a week-long celebration of the achievements and continual fulfillment of Dr. King's civil and human rights dreams. 

During the 2010 King Day events, a mural created by Louis Delsarte chronicling the heroic life of Dr. King was dedicated. The 129-foot mural, titled "Dreams, Visions and Change" (photo), is on the back wall of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Natatorium in the Peace Plaza adjacent to the the MLK National Historic Site Visitor Center.

The final speech this great leader would give was in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Today, his dreams live on in the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site and in the hearts of countless people across the globe.