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The Sweet Auburn neighborhood is an in town Atlanta neighborhood, located on the east side of downtown Atlanta. The Sweet Auburn neighborhood is home to the civil rights movement in Atlanta and features many parks and landmarks.
Most notably, The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park makes up a large sections of this neighborhood. The park covers about 35 acres of space and is devoted to preserving the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
You will also find a large statue of another civil rights leader, John Wesley Dobbs, in the small plaza named after him.
The surrounding area is filled with restaurants, bars and shops. There are plenty of things to see and do in this neighborhood including the many historic sites and landmarks.
As for the location, Sweet Auburn has downtown Atlanta to the west, Inman Park and part of the Old Fourth Ward to the east. To the south is the MARTA line and the Oakland Cemetery and just north of John Lewis Parkway is the Old Fourth Ward.
The Sweet Auburn Municipal Market will be included in the neighborhood guide, even though, it is on the border. Since the name is in there, I thought I would include it to avoid confusion.
Brief History of Sweet Auburn
As racial segregation and the Atlanta Race Riot of 1906 in Atlanta was ongoing, many African American businesses from downtown Atlanta moved to Auburn Avenue. Today, you still see many African American businesses in the area.
The Sweet Auburn neighborhood was made a national landmark historic landmark in1976.
There have been waves of investment into the area, starting with the blocks surrounding the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. In 2014, the neighborhood is accessible via the Atlanta Streetcar.
However, there is still more work to do.
Sweet Auburn Name Origin
“Sweet Auburn” was the name given the neighborhood by John Wesley Dobbs, a renowned African American community leader, who called it “the richest Negro street in the world.” On the avenue, fewer constraints hampered black enterprises, and the “sweet brown honey” of commercial success made Sweet Auburn a source of great pride for Atlanta’s African-American community
nps.gov
Sweet Auburn Demographics
Based on data collected by niche.com, there are 3,560 residents that call Sweet Auburn home in Atlanta.
Of them, 47% have a bachelors or masters degree from college.
The median household income for Sweet Auburn is $47,072, which is below the national household median income of just under $65,000
Best Things To Do In Sweet Auburn
For the “things to do” section in these neighborhood guides, we don’t usually write up a post about the top 10 best things to do. Instead, we try to be as comprehensive as possible.
Our neighborhood guides are broken down into the following categories:
- Historic Sites and Landmarks
- Attractions
- Shopping
- Food and Drink
- Parks and Recreation.
Some neighborhoods have unique offerings and some neighborhoods may not have anything in a section, so it is omitted.
We do miss things from time to time, as some neighborhoods we are only exploring for the first time. If we missed something cool, please leave a comment and we will check it out!
Historical Sites, Museums and Landmarks
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park is just steps from the location where he was born and raised on Auburn Ave. There are many buildings to tour and things to see while you are there.
- Ebenezer Baptist Church is the church that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was co-pastor from 1960 until his assassination in 1968.
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. childhood home on Auburn Ave is part of the historical park and can be toured in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood of Atlanta
- Historic Fire Station No. 6 can be toured and you can see a 1927 American LaFrance fire engine at the museum.
- Madame CJ Walker Boutique Museum features the the artifacts and history that eventually was developed in the Netflix original “Self Made.” She was an entrepreneur and self made millionaire.
Shopping
The Municipal Market (AKA Sweet Auburn Curb Market) has eateries, meat, produce stands, sweet treats and one of the best seafood markets in Atlanta.
Restaurants and Bars in Sweet Auburn
- The Georgia Beer Garden is an Atlanta beer garden that is housed in an old peanut factory and is just a couple blocks from the MLK National Historical Park.
- Joystick Game Bar is a dive bar with retro video game cabinets. The spot is great to relive your Frogger scores.
- Foxx Original Jamaican Restaurant is of the best Jamaican restaurants in Atlanta.
- Fin and Feathers is a restaurant and lounge for patrons over 21. The menu features some southern favorites like fried catfish and chicken and waffles. Also features some other chicken and seafood options.
- Noni’s is an Italian eatery with customizable pasta dishes. Pick your sauce, noodle and meats. They also have some great Italian sandwiches.
Getting To Sweet Auburn
If you are visiting the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, there is a free parking lot for visitors. If you are traveling from the 85, you will take the exit 248C for GA-10 E/Freedom Pkwy/Carter Ctr. Alternatively, you can find street parking or paid parking on Auburn Ave.
The better option is to either use the Atlanta Streetcar and get off at the King Historic District or you can take MARTA and get off at the King Center stop.
Sweet Auburn Safety
This is an in town neighborhood and crime does happen. While visiting the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, I felt perfectly safe on a weekday afternoon. As I ventured a few blocks away from the park area, I felt less safe.
The feeling of being safe is a personal perception. Always know your environment and your comfort level.