For 34 years, Marty Smith has served as chief of interpretation and education at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Preservation District, playing a key role in sharing Dr. King’s life and impact with generations of visitorsPhoto by Eley   Established in 1980, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park has been a cornerstone of Atlanta’s history, welcoming visitors from around the world—including world leaders, U.S. presidents, and entertainers. Spanning 35 acres in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood, the park preserves nearly two dozen historic structures tied to Dr. King’s life, such as his birth home (which recently reopened after an extensive two-year renovation), Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the King Center, where he and Coretta Scott King are laid to rest. Through tours and educational programs, Smith and his team ensure that Dr. King’s story is told not only as that of a historic civil rights icon but also as a child shaped by family, faith, and community. Mentorship Milestones “Most people know Dr. King as a civil rights leader, but they don’t know him as the young kid who might have done mischievous things, who was the jokester, who played around. Or the young kid who came from a family of ministers and civil rights leaders. In today’s times, you see so many young folks who don’t have strong role models in their life, but Dr. King did. It’s important that we share the story of how he was able to overcome and be who he was because of the family structure that he came from.” Funny Business “Dr. King was a practical jokester. He and his brother would get their mom’s fox fur, put it on a stick, and when people walked by, they’d stick the stick out, scaring them as they came down the street. The whole family had to take piano lessons, but Dr. King and his younger brother did not enjoy it. They thought that if they broke the piano stool, the instructor would sit on it and fall, and the lesson would be canceled for the day. Dr. King liked to have fun!” Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birth HomeCourtesy NPS.GOV Authentic Antiques “His mother came back to the house before her death and arranged and placed everything back to the way it was when she first lived there. There were pieces of furniture she had that weren’t in the house anymore, so she looked through a 1930 Sears catalog, then she went to an antique store and bought them so they could be placed back in the home.” Super Bowl Spotlight “One of the most memorable behind-the-scenes moments is probably having the opportunity to do a tour for Super Bowl LIII [in 2019]. I was with Dr. King’s daughter, Bernice King, and to see that we became the second television commercial for the Super Bowl was pretty amazing. We had the team owners and players walk through the neighborhood, Dr. King’s house, and Ebenezer Church. Having that opportunity was powerful, and my kids were screaming and so excited to see me on TV.” This article appears in the Winter 2026 issue of Southbound. The post Meet the Atlanta ranger who brings Dr. King’s legacy to life appeared first on Atlanta Magazine. ...read more read less