Historic Dorchester Academy & Museum

Location

8787 E. Oglethorpe Hwy.
Midway GA 31320

Hours of Operation

  • Tuesday : 11:00am - 2:00pm
  • Wednesday : 11:00am - 2:00pm
  • Thursday : 11:00am - 2:00pm
  • Friday : 11:00am - 2:00pm
  • Saturday : 2:00pm - 4:00pm
  • Sunday : 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Social

The Room where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stayed. Photo by Tammy Lee Bradley
Entrance to the Grounds of Dorchester Academy. Photo by Tammy Lee Bradley
Inside the Museum. Photo by Tammy Lee Bradley
MLK stayed at Dorchester Academy. He would often sit and read the Bible while he stayed here.
Students would exercise and play in the field. MLK played ball during his spare time while he was at Dorchester.

Dorchester Academy was founded after the Civil War as a school for freed slaves. By 1917, the fully accredited high school had eight frame buildings and 300 students. This African American historic site hosted Dr. Martin Luther King's planning meetings for his 1963 march on Birmingham. Dorchester Academy is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a National Landmark in 2006.

Martin Luther King Jr. would come to Dorchester to relax, play baseball and rehearse his speeches before giving them during the civil rights movement. The Boys' Dormitory is still standing, and the room that MLK Jr. slept in is still in the same condition as when he last stepped foot in it. 

Amenities
Facility Amenities
  • Free Parking
  • Parking on Site
  • Self-guided Tours
Near Interstate Highway
  • 95
Special Tags
  • Civil Rights
Suitable for Ages
  • All Ages
General Information
  • Family-Friendly
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