Security fence installed around MLK Jr. birth home after alleged arson attempt

ATLANTA (WANF/Gray News) - A security fence was installed around Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birth home after a woman was caught allegedly trying to burn it down in December.

Rayna Guy traveled to Atlanta with family and friends for the MLK Jr. holiday weekend from West Virginia.

“I didn’t know there would be a fence,” she said. “I thought I would at least get to go on the porch.”

Sauncha Guy says it is “disappointing.”

“But it’s also a reason to make another trip,” she said.

Locals like Marissa Simms were also surprised to see the fence around the home.

“To see it fenced off this year, it kind of puzzled me,” Simms said.

The fence did not stop people from visiting and paying homage to King.

“Atlanta, Georgia, stands on Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and what he’s done for the African American community,” Simms said.

While people could not go into the home, many still stopped by to remember King’s legacy and what it means now.

“It means having a voice, finding your voice, sticking true to that voice,” Rayna Guy said.

King’s birth home is set to undergo a multi-million dollar renovation that is expected to take two years to complete.

Copyright 2024 WANF via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.