April
4, 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee. The single shot did not erase
the legacy of the dreamer or the end of the dream. Although he traveled
worldwide Georgia was his home and Georgia has embraced him as its most honored
native son. Visitors can trace his physical life from birth to burial, his
philosophical and ideological stances through public speaking events and his
evolving civil rights strategies through open and clandestine planning
locations. Best of all, Georgia’s “Footsteps of MLK” tour includes sites where
we catch glimpses of King the man, the husband and the father. #exploreGeorgia
Atlanta’s Martin
Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, established in 1980, is the natural
starting point. The National Park Visitor Center (NPVC) presents a film, “The
Last Days of Dr. King,” and has a small museum with a visual chronology, videos
and a diorama of the Edmund Pettis Bridge march. Ebenezer Baptist Church,
Heritage Sanctuary, was built 1914-22. In the 1960s King was co-pastor with his
father, A.D. King. In 1974 his mother was killed by a gunman while she played
the organ in the church. The church has been restored to its look during the
1960s. King’s robe, sash and other biographical items are on view at the King
Center. Outside of the NPVC stands the “Behold” monument dedicated to MLK’s
legacy. Entry to all sites is free. #footstepsofMLK
MLK
was born on January 15, 1929, Michael King, in an 1895 Queen Anne home near the
church and lived there until 1941. The home has been restored to the look of
his childhood with assistance from family members. Thirty-minute guided tours
are limited and guests must sign up in the visitor center. The area immediately
around the home, declared a Preservation District in 1980, interprets young
King’s neighborhood. www.nps.gov/malu/planyourvisit/birth_home_tours.
King’s
1.5-mile neighborhood, Sweet Auburn dates from the late 1800s and is a National
Historic District. It remains largely residential and wayside markers provide
historic context. The 1894, Romanesque Revival, Historic Fire Station No. 6 was
the city’s first integrated fire station and one of the first 8 original
stations. The firemen gave Michael a hat and his first career choice was fireman.
The
Georgia marble crypt of Dr. and Mrs. King, surrounded by a reflecting pool, is
the heart of the King Center. King was moved there in 1970 and Mrs. King joined
him in 2006. A park was constructed around the tomb in 1976. An Eternal Flame
reflects the fact that MLK is a continuing symbol of the quest for universal
civil rights and the ongoing dream. www.nps.gov/malu/index
Auburn
Curb Market was built in the 19th-century. It was located at the
center of the city and was where farmers brought their goods to sell. In 1924
blacks were expelled from the market and forced to sell their goods on the curb
outside. People began to buy curbside because the prices were cheaper and blacks
returned in the 1940s. The 2012 renovated market is filled with eclectic vendors
and restaurants. www.thecurbmarket.com
Civil
Rights Tours Atlanta leaves from the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic
Site and conducts you through the history of Atlanta and the Civil Rights
Movement. The guide, Tom Houck, youngest member of the SCLC executive staff and
driver and assistant to Dr. King, is extremely knowledgeable about the
locations and events and shares his invaluable personal insights. Highlights of
the tour include the Freedom Houses where SNCC workers took R&R, Wheat
Street Baptist seen in Tyler Perry movies and Selma and the Peacock Club.
Malcolm and Coretta had date nights at the Peacock Club which, because it is
used in movies, looks the same on the exterior. King’s office was in the Prince
Hall Masonic Building. It had no windows, numerous bookcases and a large
picture of Gandhi. A bronze sculpture
of Martin Luther King, Jr. was dedicated in 2017 on the grounds of the Georgia
State Capitol. The statue stands 8-ft. on a 36-in. pedestal. www.civilrightstour.com
Dr.
and Mrs. King lived in a house at 234 Sunset Street from 1963 until Coretta’s
death in 2002. There were three undertakers living on the block and MLK
referred to it jokingly as “death row.” This is the home where personal friends and families gathered
to mourn in 1968 and where the King children grew up.
The
25-acre South-View Cemetery was established in 1886 by founders who had once
all been enslaved. In 1968 King’s body was interred in South-View Cemetery in a
family plot. Prior to being moved in 1970 his tomb was fired upon and a bullet
hole can still be seen in the rear of the tomb. Many notable people are buried
here and there is a 13-stop cellphone tour. www.southviewcemetery.com
Brothers Robert and James
Paschal established Paschal's in 1947 as
a small restaurant specializing in Southern food. Initially there was no
kitchen and food was cooked at Robert’s home and his wife brought it to the
restaurant by cab. In 1960 they opened La Carousel Lounge where the biggest
African American performers played. In 1968 they constructed a motor hotel with
luxurious accommodations. Robert died in 1997 and James headed the company
until his death in 2008. The restaurant was the unofficial headquarters of the
movement, MLK held meetings on the premises and the leaders often stayed at the
hotel. The restaurant is at a new location but it continues its tradition of
excellent service, delicious Southern cuisine and star power. Chris Rock and
Stevie Wonder have reserved tables. www.paschalsatlanta.com
Atlanta’s
National Center for Civil and Human Rights opened in 2014 with a focus on the
state of and fight for civil and human rights in America and internationally. Exhibits
on the first floor guide you through segregation and into the struggle to
overturn it. The exhibits are interactive and engaging. King’s papers are
rotated every 4 months in a special gallery. www.civilandhumanrights.org. #Livethelegacy
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