Sweet Auburn in Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

Cox Brothers Funeral

380 Auburn Avenue

— Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site —

Cox Brothers Funeral Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 20, 2021

1. Cox Brothers Funeral Marker

Inscription. Because of prejudice and Jim Crow Laws after the Civil War, black communities in the South had to provide their own essential services — including funerals and burials. Emily Cox and her sons Charles and Allen founded Cox Brothers Funeral Home on South Pryor Street in 1900. The establishment, known for its elegant décor, has been located here since 1940.

Caption: Charles Cox was the first funeral director in Atlanta to use a motorized hearse.

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1900.

Location. 33° 45.334′ N, 84° 22.51′ W. Marker is in Atlanta, Georgia, in Fulton County. It is in Sweet Auburn. It is on Auburn Avenue NE west of Jackson Street NE, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 380 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta GA 30312, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Georgia’s Piedmont.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Deep South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Haugabrooks Funeral Home (within shouting distance of this marker); Heyday of Auburn Avenue (within shouting distance of this marker); Wheat Street Baptist Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Ebenezer Baptist Church Heritage Sanctuary

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(about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Ebenezer Baptist Church (about 300 feet away); a different marker also named Ebenezer Baptist Church (about 300 feet away); Sweet Auburn Walk (about 300 feet away); a different marker also named Ebenezer Baptist Church (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Atlanta.

Also see . . . Cox Brothers Funeral Directors. Brief historical overview of the iconic business. (Atlanta History Center) (Submitted on November 22, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 20, 2021

2. Cox Brothers Funeral Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on July 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 21, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 1,622 times since then and 128 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 21, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on November 22, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.