Today is the U.S. federal holiday in observance of Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday. King was born January 15, 1929. He was a civil rights activist and a Baptist minister, and he was a leader of the civil rights movement until his assassination on April 4, 1968. He advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States through the use of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience against Jim Crow laws and other forms of legalized discrimination, which primarily affected African Americans.

Atlanta has been a key player in the struggle for civil rights in the U.S. Following the civil war and emancipation, newly freed, former slaves flocked to Atlanta to establish themselves as free workers and business owners. Downtown Atlanta and adjacent Auburn Avenue became centers of entrepreneurial success, and Auburn Avenue became the richest black business district in the United States.

Of course, there was a lot of resistance from white people, particularly less educated and poorer white men, who viewed the success of black Americans as a barrier to their own success. This led to a series of laws designed to limit the rights of black Americans and keep them in virtual servitude, even though they were legally free.

There’s a lot of history tied up in Atlanta that is related to race. Segregation, education or lack thereof, the 1906 race riots, the manner of urban development and politics which kept black and white citizens in separate neighborhoods. I’ll make a post about that sometime, because it’s really quite fascinating.

But for today, I want to remember Martin Luther King, Jr. He was the voice of decency and an advocate for change in a divided nation. We know him for his “I have a dream” speech. We know him because he died young in 1968. But it’s so interesting to me that he is still revered in this country. He wasn’t a president. He wasn’t even a politician. But his principles of nonviolence and civic action continue to influence people today, particularly in the demonstrations during this current administration. I just learned that he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, and he accepted it “with an abiding faith in America and an audacious faith in the future of mankind” and saying that “what self-centered men have torn down men other-centered can build up.” This resonates particularly strongly today.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Preservation District is just a 10-minute walk from my house, and I walk through this neighborhood on my way home from work which feels like a monumental privilege as an American. It is the only national park located in an urban area, and it is right in the middle of Atlanta. The district includes the house where he was born, Ebenezer Baptist Church where he and his daddy and his granddad preached, and the Center for Nonviolent Social Change Inc which was created by Coretta Scott King after her husband’s death.

I’ll make another post in the future with more details about this district. But for today, here are some photos in honor of Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday and legacy as an American figure.