Rocky Mount in Edgecombe County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Martin Luther King Jr.

1929 - 1968

Photographed by Mike Stroud, 2011

1. Martin Luther King Jr. Marker

Inscription. In his speech, Nov. 27, 1962, in gym 200 yards S.E., civil rights leader delivered refrain "I have a dream," used in Lincoln Memorial address, 1963.

Erected 2006 by North Carolina Office of Archives & History. (Marker Number E-112.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights. In addition, it is included in the Martin Luther King, Jr., and the North Carolina Division of Archives and History series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is October 27, 1854.

Location. 35° 57.177′ N, 77° 47.277′ W. Marker is in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, in Edgecombe County. It is on Atlantic Avenue (State Highway 97) near Spruce Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 742 Atlantic Ave, Rocky Mount NC 27801, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain. It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the

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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: Sanitation Workers' Strike (a few steps from this marker); 1978 Rocky Mount Sanitation Workers Strike (within shouting distance of this marker); Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named Jim Thorpe (approx. half a mile away); Lincoln Park Historic District (approx. 0.6 miles away); Adolphus Staton (approx. 0.6 miles away); Veterans Memorial At Jack Laughery Park (approx. 0.6 miles away); Harold Bascom Durham, Jr. (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rocky Mount.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Jim Thorpe (was approx. half a mile away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Also see . . . Martin Luther King, Jr.: Speech in Rocky Mount, N.C., November 1962. NCpedia (Submitted on June 10, 2023.)

Martin Luther King Jr. Marker, seen along Atlantic Avenue and Spruce Street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mike Stroud, July 18, 2011

2. Martin Luther King Jr. Marker, seen along Atlantic Avenue and Spruce Street

Martin Luther King Jr. image. Click for full size.

Library of Congress; Dick DeMarsico, World Telegram staff photographer

3. Martin Luther King Jr.

gymnasium at Booker T. Washington High School ( presently is a city recreation center gym) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mike Stroud, July 18, 2011

4. gymnasium at Booker T. Washington High School ( presently is a city recreation center gym)

Credits. This page was last revised on December 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 23, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,777 times since then and 60 times this year. Last updated on June 9, 2023, by Michael Buckner of Durham, North Carolina. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 24, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.