In honor of today’s 49th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, we’re exploring five places you can visit where the man himself once slept, walked, spoke, protested and generally inspired a nation.
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site (Georgia)
This historic national landmark is actually a conglomerate of several sites in Atlanta, Georgia, that include Dr. King’s boyhood home on Auburn Avenue as well as Ebenezer Baptist Church, where both he and his father were pastors. Don’t miss the visitor center’s museum that chronicles the American Civil Rights Movement. Another interesting must-see is Fire Station No. 6, which houses an exhibit on desegregation within the Atlanta Fire Department.
Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church (Alabama)
A historic building in and of itself – having been founded in 1877 in a slave trader’s pen – this small Baptist church was forever entered into the annals of history by its 20th pastor, Dr. King, who served from 1954 to 1960. Most famously, the Montgomery Bus Boycott of the 1950′s was directed by Dr. King from his church office. In 1980, a beautiful mural was painted outside the church depicting scenes from Dr. King’s journey from Montgomery to Memphis. Tours of the church can be privately arranged.
Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail (Alabama)
This 54-mile trail commemorates the route of the 1965 Voting Rights March beginning at the Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church in Selma. It includes the Edmond Pettus Bridge where on March 7, 1965 marchers were tear-gassed and beaten by police offers. The march, led by Dr. King, began again a few weeks later with protesters joining from around the country. The five-day trek ended at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery with several notable speeches, including one by Dr. King. The entire route is a component of the National Trails System and is administered by the National Park Service. Several interpretive centers are placed along the trail.
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Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (Alabama)
A large museum and research center, the Civil Rights Institute is located in Birmingham’s Civil Rights District, which is home to the 16th Street Baptist Church. Dr. King was a frequent speaker at the church, which was also the site of the horrific fire bombing that killed four young girls. The Institute’s permanent exhibit is a self-directed walk through Birmingham’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
National Civil Rights Museum (Tennessee)
Located in Memphis, Tennessee, the National Civil Rights Museum is a complex of museums built around the former Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was shot and killed on April 4, 1968. In addition to a museum tracing the Civil Rights Movement, visitors can see the site where James Earl Ray first confessed to the shooting, as well as the rooming house where the murder weapon was found.
Bonus Site: Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial (Washington D.C.)
While Dr. King may never have visited the actual site of the memorial created in his honor, Washington D.C. is where he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 in front of some 250,000 listeners. The official address of the monument, 1964 Independence Avenue S.W., commemorates the year that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law.
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– written by Dori Saltzman
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