How to Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday

The civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. remains a prominent figure in U.S. history. In 1964, he became the youngest man ever to win a Nobel Peace Prize. An assassin's bullet cut him down in Memphis in April 1968. Eighteen years later, the government declared January 15, the anniversary of Dr. King's birth, a federal holiday and day of remembrance. Here are some suggestions for honoring the man and what he represented.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Look in your own backyard. Several places around the country, particularly in the Southeast, have strong connections to Dr. King. Perhaps your hometown has memorialized him in some fashion. An estimated 730 US cities have streets bearing his name.
2. Visit his birthplace. Dr. King was born at 501 Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Park rangers lead tours on a first-come, first-served basis that are limited to about 15 people. Arrive early on weekends and holidays.
3. Visit his church. From 1954 to 1960, Dr. King served as the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. The church was designated a historic landmark in 1976 and guided tours include the adjoining parsonage.
4. Visit the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.. Dr. King delivered his “I have a dream” speech from the Memorial steps on August 28, 1963. Approximately 200,000 civil rights supporters crowded the National Mall that day to listen to what would become one of the most celebrated orations in Western history.
5. Visit the National Civil Rights Museum. James Earl Ray assassinated Dr. King on April 4, 1968, as he stood on the terrace of a Memphis motel room--an act of violence that sparked demonstrations and riots across the country. The city transformed the motel into a memorial museum.
6. Visit his grave. Dr .King's family buried him on the grounds of the King Center in Atlanta. His epitaph reads, "Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I’m free at last."
7. Can’t make it to any of these places? Take a moment to reflect on Dr. King's legacy of civil rights and non-violent protest.

Tips & Warnings

• Almost all banks, post offices, libraries, public schools and government offices close in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Many private companies also close for this holiday.