Historic Sweet Auburn. Atlanta: Home of MLK, Jr., Atlanta, Georgia

I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on Black history, but I do believe everyone should be more educated. To that end, my husband and I decided to take advantage of the opportunities we have while serving a church mission in Atlanta. There is a wealth of information and historic sites here in Atlanta, some of which are very close to where we are living. Since February is also Black History Month, it seemed very fitting to explore historic Sweet Auburn, the home of Martin Luther King, Jr.

During Black History Month, there are ranger-led talks scheduled in two locations in historic Sweet Auburn: the Ebenezer Baptist Church and the birth home of Martin Luther King, Jr. We began with the “Church talk” led by a very knowledgeable park ranger in the basement and upstairs chapel of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. During other times, there are films, exhibits, and artifacts in the church — and self-guided experiences.

Our tour and talk began in the basement of the church. The park ranger shared a lot of information about the history of Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the names of the senior pastors, including both Martin Luther King’s maternal grandfather and his father. We learned that Martin Luther King, Jr. was a co-pastor with his father, beginning in 1960. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).