ATLANTA — Atlanta is recognized as the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement -- the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
But beyond the birthplace, Dr. King's message spreads far and wide. His life and legacy mean the world to hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
James Sorah is one of those visitors. Sorah traveled across the pond from England and found a fountain of inspiration in King's life and message. In Sorah's eyes, along with many others, King is a political hero.
"Martin Luther King is up there with Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and many, many others who fought for human freedom," Sorah said.
Another visitor from Argentina, Luis Feam, said King left a crucial message: Nonviolence is a vital way to resolve violence.
"It's a universal message, isn't it?" Sorah stated.
A message that all these years later means more than ever. A message that was birthed here in Atlanta.
Martin Luther King Jr. was born on Jan. 15, 1929. His birth home can be found in the Auburn Avenue Historic District. The house is listed as a national historic site and is part of Martin Luther King, Jr National Historic Park.
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Other park areas include the visitor center, DREAM gallery, the BEHOLD Monument, the "I Have A Dream" World Peace Rose Garden, Fire Station No. 6, the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, and The King Center.
The King Center, properly known as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, was established in 1968 by his wife, Coretta Scott King. The nonprofit is designed to be a living memorial committed to the causes King believed in.
According to The King Center, King's most significant achievements include:
- 1955: Serving as a spokesman for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This was a campaign by African Americans in Alabama to facilitate integration in Montgomery's bus lines.
- 1957: Being elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The organization helped provide new leadership for the Civil Rights Movement.
- 1963: Leading numerous civil rights groups in a nonviolent campaign aimed toward Birmingham, Alabama. This also led to King's draft of the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." He was also one of the people behind the March for Jobs and Freedom, also known as the "March on Washington." This is where he gave his "I Have a Dream" speech.
- 1964: He became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He was 35 years old. Congress also passed legislation helping to eliminate legalized racial segregation in the United States.
- 1965: Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which helped eliminate the remaining barriers to voting for African Americans. According to The King Center, the legislation "resulted directly from the Selma to Montgomery, AL March for Voting Rights led by Dr. King."
Martin Luther King's nonviolent leadership ended on April 4, 1968, when he was assassinated in Tennessee. The King Center said his body was returned to Atlanta, where his funeral ceremony was attended by "high-level leaders of all races and political stripes."
But his life continues to live on in his loved ones and from the actions of The King Center.
According to the center, nearly a million people each year come to the national historic site. King's daughter and The King Center CEO, Dr. Bernice King, said the center bridges gaps and operates with the beloved community in mind. A beloved community that means more than stars and stripes.
"Inspiration. Hope. People want to connect. Some people want to pay their homage to my parents. Some people want to find out more. Some people love history," King said.
It's a legacy that envelopes Atlanta. From his birth home, to the church where he changed hearts, to the center that changed generations long after his assassination, victors trek from all over the world to take in and learn about King's global impact.
It's a lasting legacy that continues to inspire generations of changemakers across the world and makes Atlanta what so many call home.