Sweet Auburn

Welcome to Atlanta, Georgia, and more specifically, welcome to Auburn Avenue. As we begin our journey today, take a deep breath and look at the bustling, historic street stretching out before you. …

We have arrived at a beautiful, meticulously preserved yellow and brown Victorian house. Take a moment to admire the wrap around porch and the neat, welcoming exterior. …

Just a short walk from the birth home stands the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church. Look up at the red brick facade and the classic architectural lines. …

As we move further down Auburn Avenue, we enter the serene, contemplative grounds of The Martin Luther King Junior Center for Nonviolent Social Change. After the devastating assassination of her husband in Memphis in nineteen…

Continuing our journey down Sweet Auburn, we stand before a striking yellow brick structure known as the Prince Hall Grand Lodge. Look closely at the stonework on the side of the building, and you will see the unmistakable symbol…

As we arrive at this next block, look up at the weathered marquee sign hanging over the street. It reads, The Royal Peacock. …

Our next stop brings us face to face with the economic engines of Sweet Auburn, and the tragic mechanism of its decline. Before you stand the historical sites of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company and the Apex Museum. …

As we bring our walking tour of the Sweet Auburn Historic District to a close, take a final moment to absorb the immense weight of the history surrounding you. The story of Auburn Avenue is profoundly American. …