Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site
450 Auburn Avenue, NE Atlanta, GA 30312

"Sweet Auburn," the thriving Atlanta neighborhood that Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) called home, formed the hub of African American life and culture in Atlanta from the late nineteenth through the mid-twentieth century. In the heart of Sweet Auburn lies the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site, which preserves King's birthplace and gravesite, along with other homes, a fire station, and the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King worshipped as a child and later served as co-pastor with his father, Martin Luther King, Sr.

Visitors can stroll through the residential neighborhood where King grew up, seeing much of it just as it looked when he and his family lived at 501 Auburn Avenue. At a time of enforced segregation and restrictive race laws, African Americans built businesses, churches, educational buildings, and social organizations along Auburn Avenue. Here, the future civil rights leader and Nobel Laureate was nurtured by a tight-knit community that embodied African American history, heritage, and achievements.

Standing as tangible proof that African Americans could achieve success even in the face of legal segregation, Sweet Auburn helped shape Dr. King's values and attitudes and prepared him for the struggles and victories of a lifetime.

Facilities

The Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site was established in 1980 in order to protect and interpret the places where Martin Luther King, Jr., was born, where he lived, worked, and worshiped, and where he is buried. Park sites include:

• National Park Service Visitor Center
• The King Birth Home
• Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church (Heritage Sanctuary)
• Historic Fire Station No. 6
• The King Center (Freedom Hall)
• Dr. King's Tomb
• Peace Plaza

Related National Park Service websites

Visit these websites to learn more about the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site, the legacy of Dr. King, and the civil rights movement.

Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site Homepage

Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site
A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary

Sweet Auburn Historic District
Atlanta: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary

Facilities at the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site
Take an illustrated online tour of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Historic Site.

Historic Places of the Civil Rights Movement
Click on "List of Sites" then scroll down to Georgia and click on "Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site"

History of the African American Experience in Atlanta
Illustrated essays provide a historical overview of the people, places, and events that contributed to the region's unique character.

Our Shared History: Celebrating African American History and Culture
An online resource connecting the National Park Service's African American resources.