Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, built in 1968 and opened in 1969, marked a significant milestone for Louisville Public Schools. Its dedication in April of that year celebrated several firsts: a district-wide invitation for teachers to join the faculty, a predominantly white teaching staff led by an African-American principal, a balanced and integrated faculty, pre-opening collaborative training for the entire faculty and teams, and the innovative open-school architectural design.

Located on a former streetcar loop site, the original building was a circular structure encompassing 62,000 square feet. Its large, carpeted, and air-conditioned "areas of instruction" replaced traditional classrooms. Before the building's completion in January 1969, students and teachers were housed at Shawnee Elementary, various churches, and Nicholas Finzer Elementary.

A year-long, federally funded program called BEACON (Better Education A Conditioner of Neighborhoods) supported the new faculty and instructional model. This collaborative effort between the school district, the University of Louisville, community representatives, and King's staff focused on human relations and team teaching. BEACON aimed to stabilize the neighborhood by preventing middle-class flight, increasing parent involvement, and developing an innovative program to improve attendance, achievement, and student attitudes. The project's success contributed to King's reputation as a leading Kentucky learning institution. From 1968 to 1975, the school served approximately 900 to 1,000 kindergarten through sixth grade students.

In 1975, the merger of Louisville and Jefferson County Public Schools, coupled with court-ordered desegregation, significantly impacted King. With a student body that was over 90% African-American, King became the hub for a cluster of four predominantly white schools. Busing was implemented to achieve integration.

In 1989, King transitioned into a visual and performing arts learning choice school and established a Gifted and Talented Program aligned with Project Renaissance and the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA).

Throughout its history, King has prioritized strong instructional support and demonstrated a commitment to exceptional and at-risk students.

King Elementary prides itself on its rich heritage and multi-generational family attendance. The school is committed to Dr. King's legacy and strives to empower all students to achieve academic excellence, leadership, and social responsibility.