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The Martin Luther King Jr. Center is located on historic Auburn Avenue, in Southeast Atlanta. All tours are self guided and are free of charge. The Freedom Hall
Complex houses several different exhibits, which change periodically. One can also view historic Ebenezer Baptist church, and King's birthplace home.
On my recent visit, I attended the "Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America" exhibit. The controversial exhibition opened May 1st, 2002 and will continue through
December 31, 2002. It is a simple, yet powerfully moving experience. When one enters, the lyrics of "Strange Fruit" fill one's ears. A map breaks down the
sobering statistics of lynching activity in the South. Then in the main room, photographs line the walls, with short explanations
next to them. The photographs are extremely graphic, and not recommended for young children, but for teenagers it would be quite educational.
While of course the vast majority of lynching victims were black, the exhibit does take into account the infamous lynching of a Jewish man in Marietta, a suburb of Atlanta,
in the 1930's. Also included are Italian victims, who were lynched because of a union-labor dispute, and a white woman, who was lynched for cattle theft.
The amount of photographs are enough to provide a lasting impact on the viewer without desensitizing the atrocity of the act. There are other forms of media in the exhibit, including foreign
magazines, political propaganda, and modern music and literature, all illustrating the world's reaction to lynching.
There is no better way to celebrate freedom and independence than to reflect on times when that freedom was in jeopardy or did not exist. This exhibit does not preach
or attempt to place blame. The commentary accompanying the photographs is very matter of fact. The images speak for themselves, and speak loudly. While the King Center
represents hope and progress, the neighborhood that surrounds it is an example of the problems that still plague low income African Americans in metropolitan areas of the
United States. Thankfully, there are people that wish to fulfill King's dream to its completion, and work tirelessly to reach that goal.
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