Martin Luther King Jr. grew up in this neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta at a time when segregation dictated all aspects of life. His father was a pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church located just a couple blocks from the family’s home. MLK Jr. graduated from seminary school, earned a PhD and became a pastor in Montgomery, Alabama but as the struggle for civil rights began to occupy more of his time he moved back to Atlanta along with his wife Coretta and their children and served as co-pastor at Ebenezer.
The visitor center has six very well done, informative displays which follow a timeline of King’s life, the civil rights movement, and the important role that King played in it. Several videos are shown in the theater. Tours of the house where King was born are free but only a certain number of tickets are given out so get them early if you want to go. The King Center has a couple of small exhibits in Freedom Hall and a memorial area containing Martin Luther King Jr’s tomb. The Ebenezer Church, which still functions as a church, is being restored by the National Park Service and is opened for visits. An 1894 fire station has exhibits about the history of Atlanta and early fire fighting.
The visitor center is accessible. The theater has wheelchair spaces at the ends of the last row of seats. The fire station is accessible. The house where MLK Jr was born has an accessible entrance in the rear. A lift accesses the second floor but it was broken when we visited. The church has a side entrance with a bell which must be rung for access. Once inside there’s a lift but it was broken too. The sidewalks and curb cuts are all in fairly good condition.
The parking lot is large enough for RVs. Small RVs can be backed up to overhang the grass strips. Large RVs can be parked lengthwise across the spaces. Historic Site
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