The government shutdown has shuttered Atlanta’s Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park.
By Mary Spiller
The partial shutdown of the federal government has led to the closure of one of Atlanta’s most significant civil rights landmarks — the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park — leaving visitors disheartened after traveling from across the country.
The National Park Service closed the site on Oct. 1 as part of the broader government shutdown, which has halted numerous federal operations. Tourists who arrived hoping to visit Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King once preached, and the adjoining visitor center were instead met with locked doors and empty grounds.
“I’ve never been here to Ebenezer Church, and I would love to go inside,” said Nakia Graham to 11Alive, who traveled from North Carolina with his wife, Takiva.
“We have elected our leaders to do a job. And when we shut down, that seems to me that they have fallen down on that job,” he added, expressing frustration with the political gridlock that triggered the shutdown.
The closure extends to the visitor center, which typically provides historical context about Dr. King’s life and the broader civil rights movement. “Yeah, we wanted to see the MLK national park here, but yeah, we got turned away because of the government shutdown. Which sucks. It’s awful,” said Maya Kayyal, who visited from Daytona Beach, Florida.
Kayyal, who recently earned a degree in history, said the site had particular meaning for her. “I just graduated with my degree in history. So I’m super into the Park Service and all that kind of stuff. I’ve learned a lot about interpretation and museums and parks. And I think it’s just absolutely awful that it closed,” she said.
While the gravesites of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King remain accessible — as they are maintained by the nonprofit King Center — other portions of the historic site, including a century-old fire station, are closed until the government reopens.
The shutdown, now in its sixth day, stems from a stalemate between Republican and Democratic lawmakers over federal budget negotiations. Roughly 40% of the federal workforce — around 750,000 employees — are expected to be placed on unpaid leave as long as the impasse continues.
