National memorials honoring Dr. King
National Historic Site - Atlanta, Georgia
In 1980, the National Park Service designated the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site and Preservation District in Atlanta. This district, in the neighborhood known as Sweet Auburn, includes Dr. King's birth home; Ebenezer Baptist Church where both Dr. King and his father were pastors; the Freedom Hall Complex which is the home of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change; the Prince Hall Masonic Building which houses the national offices of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; and many other historic places which preserve and commemorate the achievements of Dr. King and a vital community of Black families, businesses, churches, and other public institutions.
Together, the preservation district and the national historic site tell much of the history of African American urban culture in the South and provide the background for the story of the Civil Rights Movement. For additional information, the following organizations can be contacted:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site (National Park Service)
75 Spring St. SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
404-331-5190
Website
The National Park Service provides extensive interpretive resources concerning the role of this national historic district in the life of Dr. King, the African American community, and the Civil Rights Movement. A curriculum packet is available. - Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
449 Auburn Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30312
404-524-1956
Website
The Center for Nonviolent Social Change, founded by Dr. King's widow Coretta Scott King, carries on the nonviolent tradition of Dr. King through education, research and creative programs. The center includes Freedom Hall, exhibit space, a library, and archives housing Dr. King's papers, crypt, and memorial. - Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) National Headquarters
334 Auburn Ave., NE, Atlanta, GA 30312
404-522-1420
Website
SCLC offers tours of its offices, maintains historic archives including many tapes of Dr. King's speeches, publishes a quarterly magazine, and administers numerous youth and student activities.
National Civil Rights Museum - Memphis, Tennessee
The Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, has been dedicated to the memory of Dr. King and the movement to which he dedicated his life. This building now houses the National Civil Rights Museum. The museum, which opened in 1991, is a tribute to Dr. King and others, both celebrated and unknown, who participated in the Civil Rights Movement. For additional information, contact the museum at 901-521-9699, write 450 Mulberry St., Memphis, TN 38103, or visit www.civilrightsmuseum.org .