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The King Center’s eternal flame burns bigger and brighter
 A special ceremony to relight the eternal flame that burns at the King Center, where civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was laid to rest, took place on April 4, 2009 – the 41st anniversary of his assassination.
Dr. King’s children, Bernice King and Martin L. King III, lit the flame during a ceremony attended by local and international dignitaries and delighted tourists who happened to be visiting the center.
The gas flame, donated by AGL 40 years ago and located near Dr. King’s marble crypt, needed updating, says Atlanta Gas Light President Suzanne Sitherwood, who arranged for the redesign and refurbishment.
“Forty years ago, the technology wasn't quite what it is today,” Sitherwood said. “With the new technology, the flame will burn bigger and it will burn brighter, and we think that's quite appropriate for Dr. King and his legacy.”
The flame symbolizes the continuing effort to realize his ideals for “the beloved community.”
The center, on historic Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, is dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of Dr. King. It was established in 1968 by his wife, the late Coretta Scott King, and is toured by more than 650,000 visitors annually.
In 1989, Atlanta Gas Light and WSB-Radio 750 dedicated a special Shining Light Award and plaque in memory of Dr. King. That lamp with its continual flame stands at the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Building on Spring Street in Atlanta.
Visit the King Center Web site.
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