23 interesting facts about Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent civil rights activist and leader who is best known for his role in the American civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. His tireless efforts towards racial equality and justice made him an inspiration to many. In this article, we will delve into some lesser-known facts about this influential figure.

1. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia.
2. His birth name was Michael King Jr. His father, a Baptist minister, changed both their names to Martin Luther King after a trip to Germany.
3. He was a gifted student and graduated from high school at the age of 15.
4. King attended Morehouse College in Atlanta and later earned a Ph.D. in theology from Boston University.
5. King was heavily influenced by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and his philosophy of nonviolent resistance.
6. He was a prolific writer and speaker, delivering more than 2,500 speeches and writing several books, including “Stride Toward Freedom” and “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?”
7. King was just 26 years old when he became the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.
8. In 1955, he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted for over a year and eventually led to the desegregation of the city’s buses.
9. King was a co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, which aimed to coordinate and support nonviolent activism in the fight for civil rights.
10. He led the historic March on Washington in 1963, where he delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.
11. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his nonviolent resistance to racial prejudice in America.
12. In 1965, he led the Selma to Montgomery march, which resulted in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
13. Despite his nonviolent stance, King was the target of numerous threats and acts of violence throughout his life, including the bombing of his home in 1956 and an assassination attempt in 1958.
14. On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
15. His death sparked riots in over 100 cities across the United States.
16. King’s legacy has had a lasting impact on the civil rights movement, and his teachings on nonviolence and equality continue to inspire people around the world.
17. Martin Luther King Day, a federal holiday in the United States, is celebrated on the third Monday of January to commemorate his birthday.
18. King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, continued his work after his death, founding the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta.
19. The King Center houses a museum and archives that document King’s life and the American civil rights movement.
20. King was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions to American society.
21. King’s birthday is also celebrated in Japan and the Netherlands, where he is viewed as a symbol of human rights and social justice.
22. In 1983, the U.S. government designated Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday, making him the first African American to be honored with a federal holiday.
23. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech is considered one of the greatest speeches in American history.