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Courtesy of Flickr/Tony Fischer

13 Philly places where Martin Luther King, Jr. left his mark

By Melissa Romero
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By Melissa Romero
Courtesy of Flickr/Tony Fischer

This Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, so we thought we'd take a trip through history and retrace his steps through Philadelphia. King's journey to Philly began just outside of the city in Chester, where he attended the now closed Crozer Theological Seminary. Throughout the sixties, he often returned to Philadelphia to give speeches at local universities and churches, as well as visit his close mentor Reverend J. Pius Barbour at Calvary Baptist Church in Chester. To celebrate MLK Day, we put together this map of all the places that he left his mark. We begin at number one, the start of MLK's journey in Philly. Know of another significant spot that's not on the map? Leave a comment and we'll add it to the list!

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1. Crozer Theological Seminary

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Upland Ave & W 21st St
Chester, PA 19013
MLK, Jr. studied here beginning in 1948, where he was one of 11 black students. Ironically enough, transcripts show that he received C's in public speaking class while here. Still, in 1951 he graduated first in his class.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

2. Maple Shade

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In 1950, King, Jr. and his friends were denied service at a restaurant the town of Maple Shade, near Camden. This moment was influential in beginning MLK’s civil rights fight, sparking the first sit-in in New Jersey. During his visits he often stayed at a rowhouse in Camden (pictured here).
Courtesy of Google Streetview

3. University of Pennsylvania

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3659 Spruce St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-4618
(215) 898-4618
Visit Website
While attending Crozer Theological Seminary, MLK, Jr. also took philosophy, history, and esthetics classes the University of Pennsylvania.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

4. Calvary Baptist Church

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1616 W 2nd St
Chester, PA 19013
While attending seminary, MLK grew close to Reverend J. Pius Barbour, the pastor at Calvary Baptist Church. He often had meals at the reverend's house and served as a student pastor at his church. When MLK later received the Nobel Prize, he immediately returned to visit Barbour. A mirror in which he looked into and said, "Who am I?" still hangs in the church.
Courtesy of Google Streetview

5. Fellowship House

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1431 Brown St
Philadelphia, PA 19130
MLK, Jr. was here in 1950 to hear Howard University President Mordecai Johnson speak about Mahatma Gandhi. He found the speech "profound and electrifying." In 1965, the Fellowship House planned a controversial visit for MLK, where he addressed a breakfast meeting. The original site no longer exists but continues as a farm in Pottstown.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

6. Lincoln University

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1570 Baltimore Pike
Lincoln University, PA 19352
On June 6, 1961, MLK, Jr. delivered a commencement speech at Lincoln University, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate of law. In his speech, MLK addressed the American dream, saying, "In a real sense, America is essentially a dream, a dream as yet unfulfilled.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

7. Bright Hope Baptist Church

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1601 N 12th St
Philadelphia, PA 19122
King came here in 1964 to dedicate the new Bright Hope Baptist Church. Here he called out churches for acting as "taillights rather than headlights of the civil rights movement."

8. Villanova University

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800 E Lancaster Ave
Villanova, PA 19085
(610) 519-4500
(610) 519-4500
During his 1965 Philly visit at the peak of the Selma movement, MLK gave a speech at Villanova's Field House on January 20. The field house was at capacity.

9. Baptist Temple

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1837 N Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19122
(800) 298-4200
(800) 298-4200
King spoke here during his 1965 visit, where he said, "Negroes in Philadelphia live in segregated housing conditions, just like Negroes in the South!"

10. Girard College

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2101 S College Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19121
During MLK, Jr.'s controversial visit to Philadelphia in 1965, he attended a rally at Girard College. At the time there were protests regarding the college's refusal to admit black students.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

11. 40th and Lancaster

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Lancaster Ave & N 40th St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
MLK, Jr. gave a historic speech at this intersection in West Philly in 1965, drawing a crowd of some 10,000 Philadelphians to the corner. King spoke of the need for "freedom now" in Philadelphia. The memorable speech is now marked by this mural by Cliff Eubanks, called "MLK at Lancaster."

12. Barratt Junior High School

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1599 Wharton St
Philadelphia, PA 19146
King spoke to students here in 1967 about being the best people they can be, no matter their status in life. This school is now closed.

13. 13th and Fitzwater

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S 13th St & Fitzwater St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
In August 3, 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a speech at this corner, near the former site of the community center at Martin Luther King Plaza. Formerly known as Hawthorne Square, it once had four high-rises. Today, it's home to a mixed-income, Philadelphia Housing Authority development and features a historical plaque marking the speech.
Courtesy of Google Streetview
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1. Crozer Theological Seminary

Upland Ave & W 21st St, Chester, PA 19013
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
MLK, Jr. studied here beginning in 1948, where he was one of 11 black students. Ironically enough, transcripts show that he received C's in public speaking class while here. Still, in 1951 he graduated first in his class.
Upland Ave & W 21st St
Chester, PA 19013

2. Maple Shade

Maple Shade Township, NJ
Courtesy of Google Streetview
In 1950, King, Jr. and his friends were denied service at a restaurant the town of Maple Shade, near Camden. This moment was influential in beginning MLK’s civil rights fight, sparking the first sit-in in New Jersey. During his visits he often stayed at a rowhouse in Camden (pictured here).
Visit Website

3. University of Pennsylvania

3659 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
While attending Crozer Theological Seminary, MLK, Jr. also took philosophy, history, and esthetics classes the University of Pennsylvania.
3659 Spruce St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-4618
Visit Website

4. Calvary Baptist Church

1616 W 2nd St, Chester, PA 19013
Courtesy of Google Streetview
While attending seminary, MLK grew close to Reverend J. Pius Barbour, the pastor at Calvary Baptist Church. He often had meals at the reverend's house and served as a student pastor at his church. When MLK later received the Nobel Prize, he immediately returned to visit Barbour. A mirror in which he looked into and said, "Who am I?" still hangs in the church.
1616 W 2nd St
Chester, PA 19013

5. Fellowship House

1431 Brown St, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
MLK, Jr. was here in 1950 to hear Howard University President Mordecai Johnson speak about Mahatma Gandhi. He found the speech "profound and electrifying." In 1965, the Fellowship House planned a controversial visit for MLK, where he addressed a breakfast meeting. The original site no longer exists but continues as a farm in Pottstown.
1431 Brown St
Philadelphia, PA 19130

6. Lincoln University

1570 Baltimore Pike, Lincoln University, PA 19352
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
On June 6, 1961, MLK, Jr. delivered a commencement speech at Lincoln University, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate of law. In his speech, MLK addressed the American dream, saying, "In a real sense, America is essentially a dream, a dream as yet unfulfilled.
1570 Baltimore Pike
Lincoln University, PA 19352

7. Bright Hope Baptist Church

1601 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19122
King came here in 1964 to dedicate the new Bright Hope Baptist Church. Here he called out churches for acting as "taillights rather than headlights of the civil rights movement."
1601 N 12th St
Philadelphia, PA 19122

8. Villanova University

800 E Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA 19085
During his 1965 Philly visit at the peak of the Selma movement, MLK gave a speech at Villanova's Field House on January 20. The field house was at capacity.
800 E Lancaster Ave
Villanova, PA 19085
(610) 519-4500

9. Baptist Temple

1837 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19122
King spoke here during his 1965 visit, where he said, "Negroes in Philadelphia live in segregated housing conditions, just like Negroes in the South!"
1837 N Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19122
(800) 298-4200

10. Girard College

2101 S College Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19121
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
During MLK, Jr.'s controversial visit to Philadelphia in 1965, he attended a rally at Girard College. At the time there were protests regarding the college's refusal to admit black students.
2101 S College Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19121

11. 40th and Lancaster

Lancaster Ave & N 40th St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
MLK, Jr. gave a historic speech at this intersection in West Philly in 1965, drawing a crowd of some 10,000 Philadelphians to the corner. King spoke of the need for "freedom now" in Philadelphia. The memorable speech is now marked by this mural by Cliff Eubanks, called "MLK at Lancaster."
Lancaster Ave & N 40th St
Philadelphia, PA 19104

12. Barratt Junior High School

1599 Wharton St, Philadelphia, PA 19146
King spoke to students here in 1967 about being the best people they can be, no matter their status in life. This school is now closed.
1599 Wharton St
Philadelphia, PA 19146

13. 13th and Fitzwater

S 13th St & Fitzwater St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Courtesy of Google Streetview
In August 3, 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a speech at this corner, near the former site of the community center at Martin Luther King Plaza. Formerly known as Hawthorne Square, it once had four high-rises. Today, it's home to a mixed-income, Philadelphia Housing Authority development and features a historical plaque marking the speech.
S 13th St & Fitzwater St
Philadelphia, PA 19147