The Birthplace

For his first 12 years Martin Luther King, Jr., lived in a comfortable middle-class home where a strong sense of family and the ever-presence of religion shaped daily life. Bad behavior often met a stern response, while good behavior received a warm embrace. Evening meals always waited until "Daddy King" came home, and prayer and scripture readings punctuated each day. "Daddy King's" role as pastor at Ebenezer and strong maternal influences ensured a stable and secure upbringing for the King children. Although the anguish caused by the Depression swirled all around them, the Kings lived comfortably, and their home and church were neighborhood mainstays.

Atlanta, Georgia · United States