Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta

Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church is preserved to evoke the years 1960–1968, when it functioned as the spiritual home base of the Civil Rights Movement and the pulpit of Martin Luther King Jr.. As you enter the sanctuary, you’re meant to experience it much as congregants did in the 1960s. Begin by moving upstairs to the balcony level, where the National Park Service encourages visitors to sit and listen to recordings of King’s sermons and speeches played throughout the space.

From the balcony, make your way down toward the main floor, positioning yourself in the central seating area facing the pulpit. This is where King regularly preached after becoming co-pastor in 1960 alongside his father, Martin Luther King Sr. The church’s significance extends well beyond that period: Ebenezer was founded in 1886, King was baptized here, delivered his trial sermon at age 19, and was ordained as a minister in this very space. He remained co-pastor until his assassination in 1968, and his funeral service was also held here, underscoring the church’s role across every stage of his life.

As you move slowly through the sanctuary, pay attention to details that were carefully addressed during restoration. Look upward to the stained-glass windows and the balcony rail, then toward the front of the sanctuary where the pipe organ is located. Near the front, the baptistery anchors the space as a reminder that this was, and remains, a living house of worship.

When you’re ready for deeper context, head downstairs to the Fellowship Hall, located beneath the sanctuary. Here you’ll find interpretive exhibits outlining the church’s history, along with a video interview featuring Dr. Christine King Farris, King’s sister, reflecting on family life and Ebenezer’s role in the movement.