Atlanta Georgia Historic Sites & Places of the Civil Rights Movement

Attractions & Historic Sites

Religion and education have been the cornerstones of success for many Civil Rights activists. Serving as the spiritual center for the Civil Rights Movement, many leaders found solace and inspiration within the city's churches and colleges.

Home to numerous influential churches and prestigious colleges, Atlanta is also replete with history-filled museums and inspiring landmarks. Whether it's your first visit or favorite activity, you'll find new marvels everyday.

Celebrating Civil Rights
VICKI L. CRAWFORD, director of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection, discusses the annual observances of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday and Black History Month

The celebration of the national Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday and Black History Month are important reminders of why history matters and why we must document, preserve and pass along the stories that frame our past and shape our future. As one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century, King's life reminds us that we must work vigilantly toward a world that is just and compassionate. These two annual observances provide a great context for re-dedicating ourselves to this mission and to revisiting Atlanta's extraordinary civil rights legacy.

As King's birthplace, headquarters for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and the site of important landmarks such as Ebenezer Baptist Church and the corridor of African-American businesses and institutions that line Sweet Auburn Avenue, Atlanta is distinct among American cities. The Atlanta University Center (AUC), west of downtown, continues to play a vital role in the life of the city. The five institutions that comprise the AUC represent the world's largest consortium of African-American private institutions of higher education. While distinct, Morehouse College, Clark-Atlanta University, Spelman College, the Interdenominational Theological Center and Morris Brown College, altogether share a rich heritage.

During the civil rights years, progressive, young students at the AUC colleges organized and published, "An Appeal for Human Rights," one of the most significant documents of the era linking the African-American freedom struggle to the long international quest for human rights. A walking tour of the AUC campuses will reveal a street named for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a historic marker commemorating the human rights appeal and other reminders of historic significance. Visit the campus of Morehouse College, which produced international leaders such as King and Howard Thurman.

Central to the campus is a unique statue of King at the entrance to The Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel. Named for the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner, the King Chapel is home to the world's largest religious memorial to the slain leader for civil and human rights. Each January, the college hosts a monthlong series of events to commemorate King and to advance his teachings and philosophy. "A King Celebration" each January features the Morehouse College and Spelman College glee clubs, as well as the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, in a musical tribute to King. The event is presented in partnership with the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and other community organizations.

In 2006, through the efforts of then Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Ambassador Andrew Young and other business and philanthropic leaders, Morehouse College acquired an extraordinary collection of King's original sermons, speeches, correspondence, notes and personal memorabilia. Known as the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection, this treasured archive of more than 10,000 documents offers an unparalleled study of the leader's intellectual and philosophical development. To complement this collection, the college offers programs that are open to the public. In partnership with the new National Center for Civil & Human Rights, documents from the collection will be available for exhibit.

The Morehouse King Collection is housed in the Robert W. Woodruff Library of the AUC, along with other primary source material documenting the African-American experience. Join us at Morehouse College and on the other AUC campuses to witness the history of African-American life and culture in Atlanta; visit www.aucenter.edu.

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