The Home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while living in Montgomery, AL
After four years of living in Montgomery, AL I finally went to the Dexter Parsonage Museum this past Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I am ashamed to say that I waited that long, but sometimes the things right under our noses are easily forgotten.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley canceled the Martin Luther King Parade.
I suppose I could say that I owe my visit to the Parsonage Museum to Governor Bentley. Because he cancelled the annual Martin Luther King parade (It interfered with his inauguration and his very own lavish parade), I was determined to celebrate the Reverend King in spite of the Governor’s blatant disrespect of Dr.King’s legacy and that of his constituents wishing to commemorate him and his accomplishments. I could speak at length about what Bentley did, but this post is about Dr. Martin Luther King and the wonderful museum we have here in Montgomery, AL.
The museum receives no government funding.
I had heard that the museum would be free on Martin Luther King Day, so I headed over with two of my friends. Though it did not make up for the cancelled parade, I thought it redeemed the government a bit to at least foot the bill for individuals like myself who recognize the importance of reflection and appreciation of the Reverend on this day. Martin Luther King Day is the only federal holiday honoring a person of color in this country. I was wrong. Not only was the museum not free, it receives no money at all from the local or federal government. Located on 309 Jackson Street in Montgomery, AL, The Dexter Parsonage Museum is entirely funded by the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, its congregation, and private donations.
- Located on 309 Jackson Street in Montgomery, AL.
- The museum is open Tuesday-Friday 10 AM to 4 PM and closes an hour for lunch at noon.
- Saturday hours are 10AM to 2PM.
- Price of admission is $5.50 for adults and $3.30 for children.
- Tours begin every hour, on the hour.
- If you have a large group, you may call ahead to make a reservation, 334-261-3270.
- No pictures are allowed inside the Interpretive Legacy Center or the actual home of Dr. King.
To visit the museum, enter the back of the Interpretive Center located directly to the left of the house. The Interpretive Center contains a gift shop and this is where you will begin the tour. The center features a room with rare images of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that have never been published. To see the reverend in a more relaxed environment, surrounded by friends and family offers a glimpse of what the man behind the legacy was really like.
Step back in history to a time whose turbulent and violent history seems all too familiar 60 years later.
After a brief video introduction, the tour began and we were taken through the home where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spent 6 years living with his family while serving as the pastor of Dexter Avenue Church. As I walked through each room of the home, I was overcome by emotion. The King’s moved here while in their 20’s, a young couple just starting their family. They had two children while living in Montgomery all the while leading the community in a 382 day long Bus Boycott, receiving death threats, and surviving bombings. I can not even begin to imagine what their life must have been like on a day to day basis.
The home is furnished with pieces from the 1950’s, some original to the King household and some donated. The details, down to the put out cigarette in the vintage ashtray and the mints in the candy dish on the mantel, all contribute to a sense of time travel where at any moment, the King’s will walk through the door. It is an indescribable feeling to stand in a place where one of the most admired human beings who ever lived once lived. To breathe in his dream and exhale that same hope that drove him and the brave people of this community to make history is a feeling I’ll treasure forever.
I implore anyone who finds themselves in Montgomery, Al to take the time to visit the Dexter Parsonage Museum. It is a national treasure, which in my opinion should be preserved by the local and federal government. It serves as an educational tool, a reminder of what can be accomplished, and an inspiration to those who still believe and strive for a society where everyone’s vote and life is equally valued.
In the back of the home, the King – Johns garden of reflection offers benches for the weary with plaques in front of each one reading: Equality, Hope, Forgiveness, Unity, Peace, an Understanding. Visitors are encouraged to rest their feet and take a moment to reflect upon their own families, and communities either before or after the tour.
Do not miss out on this under appreciated piece of history in the most historical city in the United States.
To donate to the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, please click the link below.
To read more about the Parsonage, visit the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church Website
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