Green Street Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Waymarking.com

Dr. King spoke at the Green Street Baptist Church August 2, 1967 at a rally designed to encourage members of the community to register to vote. Dr. King’s visit was a much anticipated event that came four years after he gave the “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Dr. King had visited Louisville earlier that year appearing with the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali at a demonstration for fair housing on March 29th. However at the August 2nd event Dr. King presented a 15 page address to the participants of the rally stressing the importance of registering and appealing to them to vote so that their voice could be heard. Unfortunately this was Dr. King’s last visit to the city of Louisville.

The Green Street Baptist Church is located at 519 East Gray Street and is one of the oldest and most established African-American churches in Kentucky. It has served as a spiritual focal point for Louisville since it was founded as the Second African Baptist Church by nine slaves. On September 29, 1844 it was opened as the Green Street Baptist Church by pastor Brother George Wells.

The Green Street Baptist Church is a historic place that has played a significant role for African-Americans in Louisville. The present church was built in 1930 by the noted African-American architect Samuel Plato.

A historical marker has been placed on the church property that outlines the history of the church and its significance to the community and its role in the struggle for civil rights in America. The text of the marker reads:

"Green Street Baptist Church - this church was constituted on First Street, Sept. 29, 1844, with Brother George Wells as pastor. A noted trustee and treasurer was Ben Duke, who lived to age 110. Present church built 1930 by Samuel Plato under pastorate of H.W. Jones. Scene of August 1967 rally led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to promote voter registration. Presented by Mr. Till Lecian 1981 Kentucky Historical Society Kentucky Department of Transportation 1693"

The transcript of Dr. Kings address presented at the Green Street Baptist Church is found at The King Library and archive, 449 Auburn Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA. 30312. Specifically it is filed in the archive as: [King, Martin Luther, Jr. "Address delivered at voter registration rally." 8/2/67. Louisville, Ky.(THTa): Box 122. 670802-000.]


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