Martin Luther King Jr had only recently presided over the congregation at this church when he was chosen to lead the Montgomery bus boycott – precisely because he was a relative unknown. Visitors are treated to an old video that expounds on the boycott, and are then given a warm, friendly tour of the church itself. Tours begin on the hour.
King also happened to be a highly intelligent seminary graduate, with passionate views about the power of nonviolence and civil disobedience. Under his leadership, the boycott was unanimous and well organized. Overnight, African Americans abandoned the city buses and utilized a complex system of carpools to get to and from work.
