Martin Luther King Jr. national park reopens despite gov't shutdown

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As the partial U.S. government shutdown enters its 31st day on Monday, Americans will be able to visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta on the holiday to celebrate his life and legacy, thanks to a private grant.

A grant from the Delta Air Lines Foundation supported the park's reopening Saturday, just in time for the holiday weekend. It has enough funds to operate until February 3, when Atlanta hosts the Super Bowl, the National Football League's annual championship game.

File of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, U.S. /VCG Photo

The park comprises important sites associated with the life and legacy of the civil rights leader, including the home where he was born, Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he served as co-pastor, historic Fire Station No. 6 and a park visitor center, the NPS said.

"This is yet another example of private organizations stepping up to ensure that our visitors from across the nation and around the world are able to have a meaningful experience at national parks," said Acting Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt in an NPS statement.

There are currently more than 40 similar funding deals in place since the shutdown, as the NPS has been struggling to deal with the funding gap at nearly 420 national parks, the National Public Radio reported.

During the shutdown, some national parks may remain accessible to visitors, some parks are closed completely, and for most parks, there will be no visitor services, such as restrooms, trash collection, facilities, or road maintenance, the NPS said on its website.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency