While at the site, I was fortunate enough to have gone just in time to listen to a speaker lecture about the history of the church and its relations with the King family. I have a video here, with his permission, of his lecture as well as his reenactment of the “I Have a Dream” Speech. (video to come once I figure out how to upload it)

This is a clock that is hanging on the balcony at the back of the church. The time is set permanently at 10:30, the time of Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral that took place in this church. It is one way to commemorate his life and keep his legacy alive.

This is a reconstruction of the original organ that Mrs. King was playing “The Lord’s Prayer” at when Marcus Wayne Chenault Jr. came into the church during a Sunday service and fatally shot her and another man, and also wounded 1 of 400 church members. The carpet and ropes are red, perhaps by chance, but to me it is entirely symbolic of the bloodshed.

  These images are of the “Fountain of Love” on the floor separating the lobby from the sanctuary. It is here in memory of Alberta Christine Williams King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s mother who was shot in the church just 6 years after her son’s death.

Walking out of the sanctuary, I saw this image situated on the wall right outside. This shows Martin Luther King Jr. giving a sermon at the church. Upon seeing this, it gave me chills to again recognize the immense history of the place where I was standing. Images like this were displayed all around the staircases leading up to and down from the sanctuary which is above the lobby/entrance. Images such as this add to the feeling that this building has been transformed into a historic site from a church, though it does serve as a place for services on special occasions.

This image is the view of the interior of the sanctuary of the church. It is a very practical, minimalist church. It features 3 columns of pews about 20 rows deep, give or take a few on the side columns. There is one organ, roped off to the left. This is where “Mama King” was when her shooter entered the church. There are signs for the hymn numbers boarded on each side of the stage. The entire effect is symmetrical. There is an image of Jesus in the very center. The pews are cold and hard reconstructions of the originals. The entire building was rather cool, about 68-70 degrees, probably in order to cool off the visitors who have just come in from the hot sidewalks. The knowledge of the events of the place give off an eerie mood, but also a very reverent one as well since it is a sacred space.