In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Salem Baptist Church of Jenkintown.

According to The Philadelphia Tribune, the service itinerary included the benediction’s civil rights song, “We Shall Overcome,” and King’s sermon delivered a call for determination to end injustice throughout the world through non-violent direct action against discrimination and bigotry.

According to The Tribune, Salem Baptist of Jenkintown has welcomed into its ministries many civil rights leaders, including Samuel Proctor, Leon Sullivan, Jesse Jackson, Wyatt Tee Walker, Rosa Parks, John Lewis, Andrew Young, and William H. Gray III.

On November 1, 2018, Salem Baptist Church of Jenkintown, 610 Summit Avenue, relocated to 2741 Woodland Road in Roslyn where it is currently situated on a 10-acre, four-building campus. Salem purchased the property from the archdiocese of Philadelphia and Queen of Peace parish. It is now known as Salem Baptist Church.

The new sanctuary seats 1400 and the pulpit from the former location was transferred.

For more on MLK’s connection to Jenkintown, you can watch 6ABC News’ video coverage here. For more on Salem Baptist Church’s new location, you can read The Philadelphia Tribune’s article here.

MLK was a guest speaker at Salem Baptist on September 11, 1960 as well. Here is the flier from the sermon: