List of streets named after Martin Luther King Jr.

Streets named after Martin Luther King Jr. can be found in many cities of the United States and in nearly every major metropolis. There are also a number of other countries that have honored Martin Luther King Jr., including Italy and Israel. The number of streets named after King is increasing every year, and about 70% of these streets are in Southern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas. King's home state of Georgia had the most, with 75 streets as of 2001;^[1] this had increased to 105 as of 2006.^[2]

As of 2003, there were over 600 American cities that had named a street after King.^[1] By 2004, this number had grown to 650, according to NPR.^[3] In 2006, Derek Alderman, a cultural geographer at East Carolina University, reported the number had increased to 730, with only 11 states in the country without a street named after King (Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Vermont).^[2] In 2014 he estimated that there were over 900 streets named after King in 42 states and Puerto Rico.^[4]

Eleven cities have freeways named after Dr. King: Staten Island, New York; Jacksonville Florida; Norfolk, Virginia; Fayetteville, North Carolina; Louisville, Kentucky; Memphis, Tennessee; Akron, Ohio; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Fort Worth, Texas; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and San Diego, California.

The following is a list of streets named after King in the United States.

Alabama

• Auburn: A section of Alabama Highway 14 is called Martin Luther King Drive, also known interchangeably as Loachapoka Road.
• Mobile: On Mobile's northside area, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue runs from Congress Street in downtown Mobile up to the intersections of Craft Highway and Saint Stephens Road. The section was formerly known as Davis Avenue from Congress Street to Bizell Avenue, and Stone Street from Bizell Ave. to Saint Stephens Road.
• Scottsboro: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street in Scottsboro runs north–south on the northwest side of town.
• Selma: In 1976, Sylvan Street was renamed Martin Luther King Street. King spent many days along Sylvan Street working for civil rights in the 1960s, especially by speaking at First Baptist Church and Brown Chapel. Brown Chapel is the background in a famous Time magazine photograph of King in the 1960s. Today, there is a monument honoring King in front of Brown Chapel. Brown Chapel was also the beginning of the route of the infamous Bloody Sunday march led by King. Ironically, the street crosses Jefferson Davis Avenue, named after the president of the Confederacy.

Arizona

• Sierra Vista: Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway runs east to west between Moorman and Highway 90, passing Veteran's Memorial Park.
• Maricopa: M. L. K. Jr. Boulevard runs by the Copper Sky Recreation Center.
• Tucson: M L King Jr. Way at the UA Tech Park at The Bridges, south of 36th Street near Kino Parkway.^[5]

Arkansas

• Fayetteville: Fayetteville City Council voted in January 2008 to officially rename Sixth Street, which passes through the city's historically black neighborhood as well as the southern boundary of the University of Arkansas campus, to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Walmart headed a petition of 71 businesses opposed to the renaming. Part of the road is designated as Arkansas Highway 180.
• Forrest City: The former Honeysuckle Lane in Forrest City, AR was renamed Martin Luther King Drive.
• Kensett: East and West MLK Drive runs northwest-southeast through most of Kensett.
• Little Rock: In 1992, High Street was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The street, which begins next to the Arkansas State Capitol building, is home to parades and community events. Martin Luther King Jr. Interdistrict Magnet Elementary School is located on the street.
• Texarkana: See Texarkana, Texas.
• West Memphis: Martin Luther King Drive runs from US 70 to Mound City Road. Along it, it junctions with I-55 and I-40 and is also where all the truck stops in West Memphis are.

California

• Bakersfield: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard travels from California Avenue south to Brundage Lane.
• Hayward: Martin Luther King Drive in Hayward travels north–south from Cannery Park to Winton Avenue.
• Oakland and Berkeley: Grove Street, which stretched for several miles north from Downtown Oakland into North Berkeley, was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Way in 1984. The street had once represented the dividing line between neighborhoods where minorities could and could not live or buy property. The street ends shortly after Embarcadero West in Oakland, and continues through Berkeley until crossing over Codornices Creek, where it becomes The Alameda.
• Los Angeles: In 1983, Santa Barbara Avenue in the South Region of Los Angeles was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, three years before former U. S. President Ronald Reagan signed a law to declare Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday. That event was celebrated by the first ever Kingdom Day Parade, years later they made the event an annual tradition. It is held on the street between Crenshaw Boulevard and Western Avenue either turning point at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza shopping mall.^[6] Due to the length of Dr. King's name, the roadway name is often abbreviated as King Blvd. on its traffic signs and sometimes called MLK Blvd. Another Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (formerly Century Boulevard) exists in nearby Lynwood, California. There also exists Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Long Beach, California.
• Riverside: In November 1993, the Riverside City Council voted to rename a portion of Pennsylvania Avenue and Box Springs Boulevard to Martin Luther King Boulevard.^[7] It runs from Kansas Avenue to Interstate 215.
• Sacramento: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard travels from Broadway south to Franklin Boulevard. It is crossed by SR 99.
• San Diego:
  • Market Street was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Way for a few years in the 1980s and 1990s before SR 94, a freeway traveling east from downtown, was renamed the Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway.
  • In 2010 members of the Broadway Heights community in San Diego renamed Weston Street after King. Martin Luther King Jr. Way is a one-block street connecting Charlene and Tiffin Avenues.
• San Francisco: Martin Luther King Drive is one of two roads that run virtually the entire length of San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Park—the other is John F. Kennedy Drive. It was renamed from South Drive.

Colorado

• Colorado Springs: A freeway segment of U.S. Route 24 is named Martin Luther King Jr. Bypass.
• Denver: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is a major street running through the eastern part of the city of Denver. Its western terminus is Downing Street. It is a divided parkway that was formerly E 32nd Avenue. East of Quebec Street the street shifts slightly southward to represent the former E 30th Avenue, passing through Denver's Central Park. At the eastern terminus it follows the south edge of Bluff Lake Nature Park and then turns south, becoming Moline Street. Its eastern terminus is within the Denver suburb of Aurora, Colorado.

Connecticut

• New Haven: Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, formerly North Frontage Road, is a westward one-way main entrance into New Haven, home of Yale University. The name was successfully dedicated in 2011 through continuous efforts by New Haven's Muslim alderman Yusuf Shah.^[8][9] Exits off of I-91 and I-95 take drivers onto the boulevard into downtown New Haven, which then terminates at West River Memorial Park.
• Norwalk: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is located in South Norwalk. It is one of the busiest streets in the area and many popular places are located on it, notably the South Norwalk train station.

Delaware

• Dover: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard begins at Federal Street as a one-way pair that passes Delaware Legislative Hall before becoming a four-lane divided highway that crosses the St. Jones River and heads east to intersect US 13 before ending at Bay Road a short distance later, where the road becomes South Little Creek Road. On January 19, 2013, the city of Dover renamed Court Street, Duke of York Street, and William Penn Street near Delaware Legislative Hall to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Originally Delaware Route 8 (Division Street) was to be renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, but merchants opposed.^[10]
• Wilmington: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard connects Lancaster Avenue to Front Street, traveling from I-95 to the Wilmington Amtrak Station at US 13. It provides a gateway for the New Castle County suburbs to Wilmington's waterfront, downtown, and the transit hubs from I-95. Eastbound (inbound) lanes connect with Lancaster Avenue, and are therefore able to draw from both exit 6 off of I-95, and the surrounding urban neighborhoods of Wilmington that lie west of downtown. Westbound (outbound) lanes of MLK Jr. Boulevard terminate at, and merge directly with I-95, providing a direct link between city and highway only. Wilmington Boulevard was renamed Martin Luther King Boulevard in 1989.^[11]

Florida

• Bonifay: Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue is a four-block long residential street on the northeast side of Bonifay.
• Brooksville: Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard (formerly Summit Street) is entirely former County Road 581A (Hernando County, Florida) from US 41 to US 98/State Road 50A.
• Clearwater: Martin Luther King Jr Avenue runs north-south in Downtown Clearwater, from Harbor Drive to Jasper Street. North of the Cleveland Street intersection, its North Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and south of the intersection its South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.
• Dade City: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was originally East Main Avenue from 14th Street to the Moore-Mickens Education Center.
• Fort Myers: Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard (formerly Anderson Avenue) is Florida State Road 82, from US 41 near the Caloosahatchee River bridge east to I-75.
• Fort Walton Beach: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard loops around the west side of Fort Walton Beach, ending near Northwest Florida State College.
• Gretna: Gadsden County Road No. 270 is Martin Luther King Boulevard for five blocks as it passes through Gretna.
• Jacksonville: The Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway is a freeway bypass around downtown Jacksonville, carrying US 1 Alternate.
• Miami area: North 62nd Street (East 9th Street in Hialeah) is called Martin Luther King Boulevard since he gave speeches all across the South, including the city of Miami. Ironically, he gave one of his speeches at a church near the intersection of East 8th Street and LeJeune Road. It is unknown when the road got this name. But some Hialeah residents say it was in the middle of the 1970s.
• Panama City: Martin Luther King Boulevard replaces parts of Cove Boulevard and State Highway 77.
• Port St. Joe: In the northern part of Port St. Joe, Martin Luther King Boulevard is a residential street running north–south nine blocks. It forms an extension of David Langston Drive.
• Safety Harbor: 4th Street in Safety Harbor has been renamed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North, although it is an east–west street running about a mile across town.
• Saint Augustine: Martin Luther King Avenue runs from north to south through southwestern St. Augustine.
• Saint Petersburg: The St. Petersburg City Council gave Ninth Street the additional name of M.L. King Jr. Street in 1987; in 2003, the street was fully renamed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street.^[12]
• Sarasota: Martin Luther King Boulevard runs east from North Tamiami Trail to Tuttle Avenue.
• Springfield: 18th Street in Springfield is named Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. It runs north south through about two-thirds of Springfield from Washington Street on the north, to Morgan Avenue at its south end.
• Tampa: In 1989, the entire stretch of Buffalo Avenue from Drew Park to Plant City was renamed "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard",^[13][14] also designated as State Road 574. Notable attractions include Raymond James Stadium.
• Tallahassee: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard runs north and south through Tallahassee, Florida. A portion of S. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard runs just blocks west of the State Capitol.^[15]
• Tarpon Springs: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive runs across Tarpon Springs, from US 19 west to Whitcomb Bayou.

Georgia

• Americus: US 19 through Americus is named Martin Luther King Boulevard. The city was reluctant to grant the name, until black community leaders threatened to boycott Americus businesses.^[16]
• Atlanta: The Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in King's hometown of Atlanta is a major landmark for tourism. It borders the Atlanta University Center, a conglomerate of historically black colleges and universities that includes King's alma mater Morehouse College.
• Arlington: M. L. King Drive is a residential street running east-to-west nearly the entire length of Arlington.
• Athens: The Dr. Martin Luther King Parkway runs alongside a park along the North Ocoee River in Athens. A previous plan to rename Reese Street after King was rejected by African-American residents of Athens, who opposed having King's name associated with what they described as a "drug-infested" street.^[16]
• Augusta: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard serves as a connector, linking Georgia State Route 4 (known as Milledgeville Road southwest of this intersection and Ruth B. Crawford Highway north-northeast of it) with Old Savannah Road and Twiggs Street.
• Bainbridge: Planter Street is named Martin Luther King Drive, running east out to Old Whigham Road.
• Blakely: The GA 39 bypass of Blakely is named Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
• Butler: GA Route 137 running north out of Butler is Martin Luther King Boulevard.
• Cartersville: M.L.K., Jr. Drive is an east-west street that crosses Joe Frank Harris Parkway north of the Market Square shopping plaza.
• Cedartown: US 278/GA 6 is named Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between US BUS 27 and US 27.
• Davisboro: In Davisboro, 5th street is also marked "M. L. King Jr. Street."
• Donalsonville: Crawford Street east of Tenille Avenue becomes MLK Jr. Drive, running east-west out the east side of town.
• Gainesville: The portion of Myrtle Street through the center of Gainesville was renamed Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard in 2000 after women activists in town petitioned for the change. Businesses along the street had blocked this change three times previously.^[16]
• Ideal: Macon County Route 69 running west out of Ideal is named Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
• Lexington: A cul-de-sac running north off Fairground Road is named Martin Luther King Drive.
• Macon: US 80 is designated Martin Luther King Boulevard, south of the Ocmulgee River.
• Montezuma: Montezuma boasts a Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, a residential street running for three blocks on the west side of town.
• Perry: Martin Luther King Drive is a semi-rural residential street running north south between US 41 and GA 224. It continues south out of Perry as Elko Road.
• Savannah: Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard is a major north-south thoroughfare on the west side of Savannah, running from the Savannah River south to Exchange Street.
• Thomasville: Martin Luther King Drive is a main residential street running north-south on the west side of Thomasville.
• Thomson: Martin Luther King Jr. Street is a main residential street in Thomson, running north–south, parallel to US 78.
• Valdosta: Martin Luther King Circle is a residential cul-de-sac about 1/2 block long, off Bunche Drive.
• Warner Robins: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard runs from the Middle Georgia State University satellite campus east to US 129. It continues as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard east onto Robins Air Force Base.

Illinois

• Cairo: Walnut Street is also named Dr. Martin Luther King Avenue in Cairo. It runs from St. Mary's Park southeast to Jefferson Avenue.
• Chicago: Chicago became the first city in the world to name a street after King; in 1968.^[2] Today, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (formerly South Park Way, and originally Grand Boulevard) features a tribute to the Great Northern Migration (a statue honoring the tens of thousands of Blacks who migrated from the US South north to Chicago) and a Victory Monument for the Eighth Regiment (featuring a statue of a World War I Black soldier). King Drive runs from Cermak Road (22nd Street) to 115th Street.
• Decatur: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive runs north to south through the city of Decatur, paralleling Bus. U.S. 51, a few blocks east.
• East St. Louis: US 67 is designated as Martin Luther King Drive over most of its length.
• Elgin: Elgin Bypass through the city of Elgin was named by State legislators "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway"in 2009.^[17]
• North Chicago: 22nd Street is named Martin Luther King Jr. Drive from Sheridan Road to Illinois Route 43 (Waukegan Road).
• Springfield: 18th Street is named Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, forming a major north–south residential street in Springfield.
• Waukegan: Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue runs through downtown Waukegan from Belvidere Street to Julian Street .

Indiana

• East Chicago: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, formerly Guthrie Street runs from Michigan Street to Cline Avenue. ^[18]
• Elkhart: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Elkhart runs east–west from Main Street to S. 6th Street.
• Evansville: Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., runs northwest-southeast from downtown in Evansville, IN. The Ford Center is at the corner of MLK Jr. Blvd and Main Street.
• Gary: Martin Luther King Drive runs north–south on the east side of the city, connecting Tennessee and Ohio Streets on the north with 37th Street at its south end.
• Indianapolis: Northwestern Avenue was renamed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street in 1985. There have been recent proposals to extend the name much further, replacing Michigan Road.^[19] Robert F. Kennedy gave a speech in Indianapolis after learning of King's assassination.
• Lawrenceburg: Martin Luther King Drive is a one-and-a-half block residential street on the northeast side of town.
• Michigan City: Martin Luther King Drive runs east–west in Michigan City from North Karwick Road to US 12. It forms the northern edge of Pottawatomie Park.
• South Bend: On the west side of South Bend, Chapin Street becomes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive as it passes north of Washington Street. It extends north to Lincoln Way West.

Iowa

• Des Moines: Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (formerly Harding Road) originally traveled from Madison Avenue in the North Central part of the city south to Ingersoll Avenue near Downtown. Later, a new bypass was built just south of Downtown and was also named Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. To connect the original parkway to the new beltway, an extension of the original street was built south of Ingersoll by constructing an underpass at Grand Avenue, bridges over the Raccoon River, and a new "T" intersection at Fleur Drive and the new Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (beltway section). A left turn (to travel eastbound) is required at Fleur Drive to continue on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (Fleur Drive continues south). The new beltway extension of Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway is an east–west route that currently ends at S.E. 30th Street, east of the downtown area.

Kansas

The "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. memorial highway" includes various portions:^[20]

• Coffeyville: A portion of US 166
• Kansas City: A portion of US 24
• Topeka: A portion of Interstate 470
• Wichita: A portion of Interstate 135

Also:

• Bonner Springs: Martin Luther King Avenue is a two-block east-west residential street between S. 136th and 138th Streets.

Kentucky

• Frankfort: Frankfort's Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard travels south from US 60 and is designated KY 1659.
• Fulton: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is a street in Fulton, from KY 129 to US 45. About half of the street is part of KY 307.
• Hopkinsville: US 68 Bypass is named Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.
• Lebanon: Martin Luther King Avenue travels parallel to US 68 and one block north of it through the center of town.
• Lexington: Martin Luther King Boulevard travels northeast-southwest in Lexington, from East 6th Street to Euclid Avenue. It crosses east Main Street, which divides it into North and South Martin Luther King Boulevard.
• Louisville: I-65 in Louisville is named the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway.
• Paducah: Martin Luther King Drive is US 60 Business in Paducah, Kentucky.

Louisiana

• Farmerville: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is a major north–south residential street in Farmerville.
• Homer: The northernmost two blocks of Magnolia Street in Homer are named Dr. Martin Luther King Street.
• Lake Charles: North Martin Luther King Highway runs concurrent with Highway 171, beginning at the southern terminus, at the junction of U.S. Route 90 (Fruge Street), that is also the western terminus of Louisiana Highway 14. The highway runs thru northeastern Lake Charles, crossing I- 10 and English Bayou, ending in Moss Bluff.^[21]
• Minden: Martin Luther King Drive is an 8-block long residential street in Minden.
• New Orleans: Most of Melpomene Avenue was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Several murals of King are painted along the boulevard. The boulevard is also near a King statue and memorial on Claiborne Avenue, and the boulevard is part of the route of New Orleans' annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade. The street is located in Central City, which is historically the city's largest African American commercial district and a major hub for the uptown African American community. The renamed section starts at its intersection with St. Charles Avenue where many Mardi Gras parades pass and ends at a 3-way intersection with Earhart Boulevard and S. Jeff Davis Parkway. Melpomene Avenue between the Mississippi River and St. Charles Ave. retains its historical name.
• North Shreveport: State Highway 3194 is designated as Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. It runs east–west across the length of North Shreveport.

Maryland

• Baltimore: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard begins at an exit on Interstate 395 and continues to Chase Street at Park Avenue. The original name of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was Harbor City Boulevard. It was renamed in honor of King shortly after it opened. The boulevard separates the predominantly black neighborhoods of West Baltimore from the downtown central business district. It was mentioned as the dividing line of West Baltimore and Downtown in a Homicide: Life on the Street episode titled "Scene of the Crime".
• Prince George's County: Martin Luther King Jr. Highway begins at the DC–Maryland border at 63rd St in the District running from Seat Pleasant through Glenarden; also known as Maryland Route 704.

Massachusetts

• Boston: Martin Luther King Boulevard travels 0.6 miles (0.97 km) between Washington and Warren Streets in Roxbury, Boston.
• Worcester: In 2009, Worcester renamed East Central Street, the primary road connecting I-290 to the central business district, "MLK Jr. Boulevard." The highway signs for what had been the E. Central Street exit were replaced with MLK Jr. Boulevard signs on January 19, 2009, which was that year's observance of Martin Luther King Day.

Michigan

• Benton Harbor: Northbound M-139 south of Main Street is designated Martin Luther King Drive.
• Detroit: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (formerly Myrtle Street) travels approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast to southwest from the M-10/J.C. Lodge Freeway to West Grand Boulevard on the west side of Detroit.
• Flint: Martin Luther King Avenue in Flint begins in the downtown area (at 1st and Saginaw Streets) and travels north as a city street, then a four-lane thoroughfare to Carpenter Road, where it becomes Detroit Street.
• Lansing: The state capital of Michigan^[22] and also the childhood home of Malcolm X.^[23] A portion of the road is designated as M-99 or the Capitol Loop.^[22] Formerly called Logan Street (until 1994), Martin Luther King Boulevard travels north–south along the western side of Lansing.
• Pontiac: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard begins at Woodward avenue south of Pontiac, and runs around the city's east side, terminating northeast of the center of town, at Perry Street. It is divided into "north" and "south" sections, the dividing point being the intersection with Pike Street.
• Portage: Martin Luther King Drive in Portage is a 3-block street connecting Constitution Boulevard with the Crossroads shopping mall.

Minnesota

• Saint Paul: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard travels in front of the Minnesota State Capitol.

Mississippi

• Amory: Amory's Martin Luther King Drive is a north–south street running alongside a residential area. It forms a northern extension of Gregory Road.
• Clarksdale: Martin Luther King Boulevard is a two-lane road extending from State Street on the east side of town westward through Clarksdale to Riverside Avenue, on the west bank of the Big Sunflower River.
• Cleveland: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is a four-lane thoroughfare that runs north–south east of and parallel to US 278. South of White Street it is also known as Pearman Road.
• Gulfport: Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd runs East to West, running through Hwy 49. Approximately 2.5 miles from the beach.
• Greenville: MS State Highway 1 in Greenville is named Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
• Indianola: US 49W through Indianola is named North Martin Luther King Drive.
• Jackson: Whitfield Mills Street, located in a predominantly African-American neighborhood, was changed to M.L.K. Jr Drive in the 1980s. This street, which intersects with Medgar Evers Boulevard at a Jackson landmark called Freedom Corner, is the site of one of the largest Martin Luther King Day parades in the nation.
• Lexington: A one-block portion of Cedar Street in Lexington has been renamed Martin Luther King Street.
• Moss Point: MLK JR. Blvd runs East to West, connecting Kreole ave and Magnolia Street, running through Hwy 63 and Hwy 613. It is also well known for gang activity and drug transactions.
• Rolling Fork: MS State Highway 16 in Rolling Fork is named Dr. Martin Luther King Street.
• Starkville: MS State Highway 182 through Starkville is named Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.
• State Line: Middle Road, running southwest out of State Line, is also known as Martin Luther King Drive.
• Tchula: US 49A through Tchula is designated as Martin Luther King Drive.
• Tupelo: The US 45 freeway bypass of Tupelo is named Martin Luther King Drive.
• Wiggins: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Wiggins is a four-and-a-half-block long residential street running east–west, just south of the center of town.
• Vicksburg: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is a two-lane road circling the northern edge of Vicksburg, and ending on Confederate Avenue.
• Yazoo City: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is a thoroughfare forming a northern extension of Main Street. As such it runs north from 1st Street out into the adjoining rural area, passing Yazoo City High School and ending at Gordon Avenue.

Missouri

• Kinloch: Martin Luther King Boulevard in Kinloch runs north–south from North Hanley Road to Courtney Avenue.
• St. Louis: Dr. Martin Luther King Drive is a major east-west artery in St. Louis, running from America's Center west-northwest, becoming MO-180, St. Charles Rock Road, as it leaves the city. There is also a segment of it east of the Convention Center, near the Martin Luther King Bridge (St. Louis).
• Springfield: The Martin Luther King Jr. bridge is located at North Benton Avenue.

Nevada

• Las Vegas area: The section of Highland Drive north of Oakey Boulevard was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in the 1990s. The roadway connects the western edge of Downtown Las Vegas to the newer and more affluent parts of North Las Vegas. Via ramps to the road at the "Spaghetti Bowl" (I-15/US 93/US 95) freeway interchange near downtown, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard provides the most direct connection between the north-central Las Vegas Valley and the Las Vegas Strip. The road also passes through historic "West Las Vegas", an older and predominantly Black neighborhood. The city identifies the road as "Martin L. King Blvd.", omitting the Jr. and using L in place of Luther. Most residents in the Las Vegas Valley use the term MLK.
• Reno: Some signs designate the US 395 freeway in Reno as the Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway, although the highway is rarely referred to by this name.

New Jersey

• Elizabeth: Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Across from City Hall. Elizabeth High School, Jefferson House is located on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
• Atlantic City: Runs from the boardwalk to US 30. It was formerly Illinois Avenue, of Monopoly (game) fame.
• Camden: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is located in downtown Camden. The road travels from Riverside Drive on the Delaware River waterfront, with a view of the Philadelphia skyline, east to an interchange with Interstate 676.^[24]
• Jersey City: Martin Luther King made two speeches in Jersey City.^[25] Originally called Jackson Avenue, Martin Luther King Drive was named in his honor in 1976 and extends 26 blocks through the Jackson Hill and Greenville sections of the city.^[26] In 2000, a Martin Luther King Drive station of the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail was opened with a memorial and other public art related to King's life and the Civil Rights Movement.
• Morristown: Martin Luther King Avenue is a main residential street running north–south through central Morristown.
• Newark: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard traces the western edge of downtown Newark, separating the academic buildings of Rutgers and NJIT. MLK Boulevard extends from Bloomfield Avenue in the north to Clinton Avenue in the south. It was traditionally named High Street.

New Mexico

• Albuquerque: Located in downtown Albuquerque. Runs to the University of New Mexico.

New York

• Hempstead: Martin Luther King Drive in Hempstead is a residential street of mostly multiple family dwellings, about four blocks long, from Circle Drive to South Franklin Street.
• Ithaca: Martin Luther King Jr. Street (also called State Street)^[27]

• Newburgh: Marine Drive, along the city's waterfront, was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard during the 2000s.
• New York City:
  • 125th Street between First Avenue and 12th Avenue is designated Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (shortened by locals as MLK Jr. Boulevard). MLK Jr. Boulevard, which runs through Harlem, intersects with Malcolm X Boulevard at 125th Street and Lenox Avenue. The street features Apollo Theater, a famous center for Black music and entertainment.
  • NY 440 in Staten Island, from the Bayonne Bridge to the Staten Island Expressway/I 278, is designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway.
  • University Avenue in the Bronx, between Kingsbridge Road and Edward L. Grant Highway, is also designated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
• Syracuse: West Castle Street is designated as Dr. MLK Street West, from US 11 Salina Street west until it curves and becomes Hudson Street.
• White Plains: Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard runs through the heart of the commercial district from Water Street to East Post Road in downtown White Plains.

North Carolina

• Asheboro: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is a two-lane semi rural road which loops north from East Salisbury Street.
• Asheville: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Asheville is a southern extension of Town Mountain Road,; it starts at US 74A and winds south through a semi-residential area to Charlotte Street.
• Ayden: A nine-block long M.L.K. Jr. Street, running north–south.
• Chapel Hill: NC 86 north from the center of Chapel Hill is named Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. It was formerly named Airport Road. The street signs ingeniously list it as "Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard" on a green background, with a subheading "Historic Airport Road" beneath, on a brown background, to show the road's previous name.
• Charlotte: In 2006, Second Street in Uptown was renamed to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. It travels through what was once the predominantly Black neighborhood of Brooklyn, which was demolished in the 1960s to make way for expansion of the central business district.
• Durham: Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway is a four-lane divided road that travels 5.4 miles (8.7 km) from U.S. 15-501 to NC 55 across the southern portion of the city.
• Edenton: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Edenton runs from the center of Edenton west to the US 17 bypass, forming a sort of business spur of US 17. It is Chowan County Road No. 1234.
• Enfield: Doctor Martin Luther King Street runs from the southernmost corner of Enfield, northeast for 13 blocks.
• Fair Bluff: A one-lane semi-paved cul-de-sac about a block and a half long, running off US 76 past some mobile housing.
• Fayetteville: The Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway, also known as the Central Business District Loop (CBD Loop), is a freeway in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and the adjacent Gray's Creek Township. It is designated in part as US 401 and North Carolina Highway 87. This freeway has the credentials to be commissioned as an Interstate highway (such as I-395), but was never done so.
• Greensboro: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Greensboro follows the route of old US 421 into the city from the south, ending at East McGee Street.
• Gastonia: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way forms the northern leg of Marietta street. It runs north-south, from the center of town north to the city limits at the bridge over Long Creek.
• Lexington: In Lexington, West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is actually on the southeast side of the city; it runs from the center of Lexington southeast to the East Center Street extension near an interchange with I-85. It is NC-8 for a part of its length, and Davidson County Road 2205 for the rest of its length.
• Maxton: Business US 74 in Maxton is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
• Monroe: NC 200, circling around the west side of Monroe, is designated as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
• New Bern: Dr. M. L. King Jr. Boulevard runs from Neuse Boulevard, in the center of New Bern, southwest to its junction with US 17. The boulevard forms part of Business Route U. S. 17 in New Bern.
• Pinetops: Martin Luther King Street runs 5 blocks, from north to south.
• Raleigh: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Raleigh forms an eastern continuation of Western Boulevard, looping south of the downtown area, and going east to its terminus at Poole Road.
• Rocky Mount: Martin Luther King Drive is a residential street in eastern Rocky Mount, ending in a cul-de-sac.
• Rowland: Martin Luther King street is a major north–south residential street in Rowland.
• Smithfield: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive runs from Broghden Road at its interchange with I-95, north for 11 blocks. It passes the south campus of Community High School, and ends on Harris Street.
• Selma: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Selma is a residential street running four blocks near the center of town.
• Tarboro: County Route 1518,running east out of Tarboro as East Baker Street, is also designated Martin Luther King Drive.
• Thomasville: Martin Luther King Drive is a semi-rural road running north-south on the west side of Thomasville.
• Whiteville: Martin Luther King Avenue in Whiteville runs south-to-north, parallel to US 701. North of Burkehead Street it becomes N. Memory street.
• Wilson: NC 58 southeast of Wilson is designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway.
• Wilmington: US 74 is designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, from the Cape Fear River east to US 17.
• Winston-Salem: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is a 3.7-mile-long (6.0 km) road that begins at the intersection of 8th Street and Trade Street downtown and reaches its terminus at Thomasville Road in the Southeast part of the city. It is predominantly African-American. The section between Liberty Street and Cleveland Avenue has been given the honorary name The Golden Mile. Every Martin Luther King Day, a parade is held on this street, marchers sing freedom hymns and carry signs calling for peace and social justice.^[28] It passes through the campus of Winston-Salem State University, a HBCU. Bowman Gray Stadium is also located on this street.

Ohio

• Akron: The OH-59 freeway in downtown Akron, formerly the Akron Innerbelt, is now the Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway. Also, a part of OH-59 just after this expressway ends is known as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
• Cincinnati: Martin Luther King Drive is a major crosstown artery in Cincinnati. It connects the west side of the city to the east, running through several historic uptown neighborhoods.^[29]

• Cleveland: In 1981 Cleveland renamed Liberty Boulevard, which had been named to commemorate Cleveland area soldiers who had been killed in World War I,^[30] to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, to commemorate King. The boulevard begins at an interchange with I-90, weaving south through the city to Harvard Avenue. The largest span of the road is enclosed by Rockefeller Park. During the 1980s, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive was very dark at night, which is when most of the criminal activity took place. Currently, there are street lights every 10–20 feet (3.0–6.1 m) along the parkway, as well as spotlights surrounding the nearby recreational areas. The parkway is known for its elegant old overpasses.

• Columbus: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Columbus is approximately three blocks in length, connecting east Spring Street and Mount Vernon Avenue, and running adjacent to Mayme Moore Park.
• Dayton: Martin Luther King Jr. Way runs approximately 3 miles through the west side of the city of Dayton. The named part of the road begins from just west of the Great Miami River to the western edge of the Dayton city proper limits. This street is also called West Third Street.
• Toledo: Dr. Martin Luther King Drive forms a short loop around Children's Park in Toledo. Also the Cherry Street Bridge, a double-leaf bascule bridge over the Maumee River, has been renamed the Martin Luther King Bridge.
• Warren:Martin Luther King Boulevard SW is a two-lane semi-rural road on the west side of Warren running south off W. Market Street.

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma City: The Northern section of Eastern Avenue, from E. Reno Avenue north to N. 63rd Street, was renamed "N. Martin Luther King Avenue" in honor of his impact on Oklahoma City and the nation. The avenue is the principal north–south road in Oklahoma City's Eastside section, home to the state's largest African American community. Prominent landmarks along the avenue include many of Oklahoma City's top attractions, such as the Oklahoma City Zoological Park, Remington Park, and Omniplex Science Museum. It is legend that King interviewed to become pastor of the historic Calvary Baptist Church in today's Deep Deuce Historic neighborhood, but church officials turned him down due to his youthful age.
• Tulsa: I-244 from I-44 west to downtown Tulsa is known as the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Expressway.

Oregon

• Eugene: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard forms a western extension of Centennial Boulevard, looping north of Autzen Stadium.
• Portland: Union Avenue between Delta Park and SE Division Street was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in 1990. It carries Oregon State Route 99E and is a major arterial crossing the entire northern half of Portland, and passes through neighborhoods African-Americans were previously restricted to living in.

Pennsylvania

• Allentown: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive begins at West Union Street and continues along Little Lehigh Creek. It ends at S. 24th Street. It serves as a small bypass of downtown Allentown.
• Philadelphia: Martin Luther King Drive on the west side of the Schuylkill River in Fairmount Park (formerly West River Drive). (The former East River Drive is named in honor of John B. Kelly Jr.)
• Pittsburgh: The Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway, a bus rapid transit line, travels 9 miles (14 km) from Downtown Pittsburgh to Rankin via Shadyside, East Liberty, Homewood, Edgewood, and Wilkinsburg. It is used by an average of 25,000 people each weekday.^[31]

South Carolina

• Anderson: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, also designated as SC 472, swings around the west side of Anderson.
• Cheraw: Martin Luther King Drive in Cheraw is a one-lane semi-paved residential street running off Howard Alley, on the southeast side of town.
• Chester: "MLK Memorial Drive" is a residential street on the northwest side of Chester, just west of the Chester County Fairgrounds.
• Dillon: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is a major north-south thoroughfare in Dillon. Forming the north part of Third Avenue, it runs north to SC 57.
• Greenville: A portion of SC 291 and US 25 in Greenville is designated as the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway.
• Gresham: Martin Luther King Jr. Road in Gresham is a semi rural road running east from SC 908.
• Hartsville: Martin Luther King Drive runs north-south in the southwest part of Hartsville, from Washington Street to a point just south of Russell Road.
• Hopkins: Martin Luther King Boulevard is a two-lane rural road running north-south along the east side of Hopkins.
• Marion: Martin Luther King Drive is a semi-rural road running along the south side of Marion, from South Main Street to Mill Street.
• Pawley's Island: Martin Luther King Road runs east–west in Pawley's Island, from US 17 almost to King's River Road.
• Starr: Martin Luther King Road is a cul-de-sac running north off Charles Reed Road.

Tennessee

• Bristol: Martin Luther King Boulevard begins in Bristol, Tennessee, as a northern continuation of Edgemont Avenue. It runs north and becomes part of US 421, crossing into Virginia, where the US 421 designation turns off. At this point, it becomes VA 113, and ends on Moore Street just south of US 11. This is one of two streets named after King which crosses a line between two states (the other is in Texarkana).
• Chattanooga: Martin Luther King Boulevard is a main east-west thoroughfare in central Chattanooga, running from the Riverfront Parkway east to its continuation as Bailey Avenue. For a part of its length it is designated Tennessee State Route 2.
• Jackson: Dr. Martin Luther King Drive is an 8-block east–west street on the southeast side of Jackson.
• Knoxville: Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue travels northeast to southwest for a distance of 2.8 miles (4.5 km) on the east side of Knoxville.
• Memphis: A portion of the Interstate 240/Interstate 40 loop from Interstate 55 to Sam Cooper Boulevard is named the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway. In addition, Linden Avenue between Danny Thomas Boulevard and Front Street is named Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
• Morristown: In Morristown on the west side of town, SR-66 is called Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.
• New Market: Martin Luther King Drive is a one-lane residential cul-de-sac, running north from Indian Cave Road, in the northwest corner of New Market.

Texas

• Alice: Martin Luther King Road is a semirural highway running north from BUS US 281 to Front Street.
• Austin: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (formerly 19th Street) is a major east–west roadway bordering the University of Texas in Austin.
• Beaumont: Martin Luther King Parkway is the name of Spur 380, a highway which passes through Lamar University.
• Cleveland: Martin Luther King Drive is a residential street about 3/5 mile in length, running east from North Travis Avenue.
• Dallas: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is a major street in South Dallas, running from Fair Park to just before South Lamar Street, where it becomes Cedar Crest Boulevard and crosses the Trinity River into Oak Cliff. In the middle of its length, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard intersects with Malcolm X Boulevard, another major South Dallas street.
• El Paso: Farm to Market Road 3255 is designated as Martin Luther King Jr Blvd and runs from the Patriot Freeway and Kentworthy St to the Texas/New Mexico border.
• Fort Worth: US 287 is designated as the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway from Downtown Fort Worth to East Loop 820.
• Galveston: The entirety of 29th Street is known as Martin Luther King Street from Seawall Boulevard to Harborside Drive. It is one of two streets in Galveston named after prominent African Americans - another street (41st Street) is named for former heavyweight champion Jack Johnson.
• Giddings: US 77 is designated as the Martin Luther King Memorial Highway within the Giddings city limits.
• Greenville: Interstate 30 is designated as Martin Luther King, Jr. Freeway through the city of Greenville between exits 92 and 97.^[32]
• Houston: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (formerly South Park Boulevard until 1976) travels from the University of Houston south to Orem Drive through the predominantly black neighborhoods of Old Spanish Trail, South Park, Sunnyside, and South Acres. The boulevard is proposed to be extended further southward to Houston's Texas State Highway Beltway 8. Metro's bus route 80 MLK/Lockwood runs along almost the entire length of the boulevard between Wheeler and Orem.
• Lubbock: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is a north–south road paralleling Interstate 27/U.S. Route 87 from Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport to near the Lubbock Executive Airpark, approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the intersection of South Loop 289 and U.S. Route 84.^[33]
• Orange: Martin Luther King Drive is a north-south road that intersects Interstate 10 on the west side of the city.
• San Antonio: Martin Luther King Drive (formerly Nebraska St.) starts out as a neighborhood street at Claude W. Black and ends at Palmetto Street which it merges into Pittman-Sullivan Park. Then, Martin Luther King Drive travels from South New Braunfels Avenue to W.W. White Road. Martin Luther King Drive is located on San Antonio's east side, which is one of two predominantly African American areas of San Antonio, the other being northeast San Antonio. St. Phillips College, a community college founded as a HBCU is also located on Martin Luther King Drive. It is crossed by I-10, where it meets Martin Luther King Park, which holds one of the largest Martin Luther King Day parades in the United States.
• Texarkana: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is a one-way thoroughfare carrying US 67 westbound. It occupies the position of 8th Street in Texarkana's numbered-street grid. (US 67 eastbound is carried by 7th Street.) This is one of two streets named after King that crosses a line between two states (The other is in Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia).
• Wichita Falls: In 2006, the city renamed Eastside Drive to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from Burkburnett Road to East Scott Avenue. Many businesses along the road have the name Eastside in reference to their location by the street's previous name.

Utah

• Salt Lake City: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, also known as 600 south, runs west to east through the heart of Salt Lake City.

Virginia

• Bristol: See Bristol, Tennessee.
• Hampton: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard runs from Franklin Boulevard north, skirting the grounds of the Hampton VA Medical Center.
• Harrisonburg: Martin Luther King Jr. Way loops around the south side of Harrisonburg, from US 33 on its east end, to Virginia State Route 42 at its western terminus.
• Louisa: Louisa honors King's memory with Martin Luther King Lane, a short cul-de-sac running north off West Street.
• Norfolk and Portsmouth: US 58 is designated the Martin Luther King Freeway as it passes through the two-lane Midtown Tunnel (Virginia), then south through Portsmouth.
• Petersburg: Martin Luther King Drive runs south off East River Road on the west side of Petersburg.
• Spring Grove: VA 40 south out of Spring Grove is designated the Martin Luther King Highway.

Washington

• Bainbridge Island: In 2013, the City of Bainbridge Island dedicated Martin Luther King Jr. Lane by the high school.^[34]
• Seattle: In 1983, an 8-mile-long (13 km) stretch of State Route 900 between Seattle and Renton was renamed from Empire Way to Martin Luther King Jr. Way. At the time the area was roughly 70 percent black.^[35]
• Spokane: East Martin Luther King Jr. Way is four blocks long, and runs east and west from North Division Street to North Sherman Street. It is also located one block south of East Main Avenue, and is just east of the downtown corridor.^[36]
• Tacoma: The area of K Street, from South 27th to Division Streets, within the neighborhood commonly referred to as "Hilltop", was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Way in 1993.

Washington, D.C.

• Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue (formerly Nichols Avenue SE) is the main commercial street in the part of Southeast Washington east of the Anacostia River. It intersects Malcolm X Avenue SE (formerly Portland Street SE) near Bolling Air Force Base and St. Elizabeths Hospital. Also very near the street is the home of Frederick Douglass, the famous abolitionist, for whom a major city bridge along South Capitol Street is named. Other streets and bridges named for prominent civil rights figures are Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE and the Whitney Young Bridge along East Capitol Street.

West Virginia

• Charles Town: West Virginia Highway 51, Middleway Pike, is also designated as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, from Washington Street west.
• Princeton: The city boasts a one-block "MLK Jr. Ave," running off Raleigh Road on the north side of town.

Wisconsin

• Fond du Lac: Second Street in Fond du Lac, from Marr Street to Military Road was "honorarily" renamed Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Avenue in 2017. The "honorary" renaming means that, for mailing-address purposes, it is still designated as Second Street.
• Kenosha: Martin Luther King Drive in Kenosha forms a connector across Lincoln Park, connecting 71st Street on the east side of the park to 69th Street on the west side.
• Madison: The two-block street southeast from the State Capitol building to Wilson Street in front of Monona Terrace is named Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. While it is short, it is very prominent, with the city and county's government offices and the main post office being located along it.
• Milwaukee: On the northwest side of downtown Milwaukee, N. 3rd Street (from W. McKinley Avenue to W. Capitol Drive), was renamed N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, although residents and street signs sometimes refer to it as King Drive. The renamed portion is a 2-mile-long (3.2 km) stretch through the Harambee, Brewer's Hill, and Halyard Park neighborhoods, which in the 19th century were originally populated by German immigrants but are now predominantly African-American. A branch of the Milwaukee Public Library located on this road is also named the Martin Luther King Library.
• Racine: Dr. Martin Luther King Drive was formerly named Milwaukee Avenue, having once been part of the Native American trail that led to Milwaukee from Chicago. It was renamed sometime in the 1980s. The street stretches 0.8 miles (1.3 km) from Douglas Avenue in the north to the intersection of State Street and Marquette Street. At this southern terminus is a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, the centerpiece of a small park labeled Dr. Martin Luther King Plaza. Other points of interest on the street are the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center, and Julian Thomas Elementary School, named in honor of a local civil rights leader.

Wyoming

• Cheyenne: Martin Luther King Drive is an extension of 18th Street west into Martin Luther King Park.

Outside of the United States

• R. Martin Luther King - Lago Parque, Londrina - PR - Brazil.
• Martin Luther King Street, Jerusalem - Israel. Overlooks Gan HaPa'amon (Park).
• Boulevard Martin Luther King, Dakar- Senegal

See also

• List of museums focused on African Americans
• Artworks commemorating African Americans in Washington, D.C.
• King County, Washington, which includes Seattle, is named for King (though it was previously named for William Rufus King).

References

Notes

Further reading

External links

• Roadways Across America. The Seattle Times, 1998.