On Friday the 16th, 2016, I went down to the “King Center” to view its historical content. The King Center is a historic park, established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King, commemorating the life of Dr. King and his role in the Civil Rights movement. The King center is located on 449 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30312; being a part of a larger whole, the King Center itself encompasses the tomb of Dr. King, as well as “Freedom Hall”. Outside of Freedom Hall lies the crypt of Dr. King and his wife, situated in the center of a reflecting pool; directly in front of the crypt is the “Eternal Flame”. Walking up the slightly elevated pathway, Freedom Hall appears at the start of the reflecting pool; to the right of the entrance is where the piano (from my pictures) is located. The hall is 2 stories high, on the bottom floor, as you enter the building, I saw a variety of different artifacts, ranging from statues to paintings. Up the stairs there were two different exhibits, the first containing articles of clothing of Dr. King and his wife, Coretta, such as the pastor robe I documented. Whereas the second exhibit showcased Rosa parks. Inside the Rosa Parks exhibit I found a variety of small trinkets, what caught my eye was the quilt situated on the wall opposite of the door. A painting of hers hang to the right of the door, on the same wall. Both exhibits, including the outside, is very easily accessible to anyone, with little to no crowd; and pleasing to the eyes, as the coloration of the sites are of neutral color, such as white.

Going through the King Center gave me a sense of happiness; a happiness knowing that the life of such a remarkable man is still remembered and preserved to this day, and quite possibly continue to do so well into the future. The environment however did not compliment this sense of happiness, as there was barely anyone present; it gave off a very secluded, almost desolate kind of feeling. Though, this may be attributed to the time and day we went. Mentioned before, these sites are very easily accessible, allowing for anyone, either a tourist wishing to see the life of Dr. King, or just a person going on for a walk, the site is set up in such a way that it caters to both. It would seem to me that the park does not do much in terms of advertisement, besides the occasional signs pointing towards the center. Take for instance, my knowledge of the place, I had no idea of its close proximity, despite parking and going to class on the same street. Overall, the King Center was a remarkable place that does a good job in exhibiting the life of Dr. King, as well as the fight for Civil Rights.