The historic Dorchester Academy at 8787 E. Oglethorpe Highway in Midway is being included as one of 28 attractions in Georgia’s Footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Trail.

The trail is a collection of landmarks, museums, schools and churches across the state that tell the story of Georgia civil rights leaders and how they advanced their causes locally and nationally.

“We could not be more pleased to see Dorchester Academy receiving the recognition it deserves as the seat of this time of rich history in our country,” said LCCVB CEO Leah Poole. “Our role in facilitating the involvement of the site on the trail was completely our pleasure and honor to assist with. With Dorchester as only one of two sites located outside of the metro Atlanta area (the other in Albany) on the U.S. trail, we are hopeful that folks will come from all over the United States to see this piece of living history right here in our beautiful community,”.

The historic Dorchester Academy served as a local community center after the closing of the school, extending its purpose to civil rights leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph Abernathy and many progressive social justice leaders, as a place to teach and organize the civil rights movement.

This historic landmark is also a site on the National U.S. Civil Rights Trail. Out of the 11 Georgian sites included in the national trail, the historic Dorchester Academy is the only landmark on the coast of Georgia.

Dorchester Academy now serves as an African-American history museum and community center, and is currently developing a community education and research center.

For more information or to become a volunteer, call 912-884-2347.

To find more information about Georgia’s Footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Trail, visit www.exploregeorgia.org.

To find more information about the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, visit civilrightstrail.com, or contact the LCCVB at 912-368-3580 or visit www.libertycounty.org.