Martin Luther King Jr. was an incredible man who has more than earned the recognition he receives from our country and other countries around the world. However, even though we celebrate him every year, many people know very little about one of the most important leaders in America’s history. These 10 facts about the man who brought tremendous change to the world will change your entire point of view surrounding him.
1. His birth name was not Martin Luther King Jr. –
MLK Jr’s birth name was Michael King Jr! His father was also named Michael King, but he changed his first name to Martin Luther when he became a minister in honor of the Martin Luther who was an integral figure in the Protestant Reformation. The younger Michael changed his name to Martin Luther shortly after that against his father’s wishes.
2. He almost died at age 12 –
At 12 years old, King attempted to commit suicide by jumping out of a second-story window because he was distraught over his grandmother’s death. Can you imagine what our world would be like today if he had succeeded in his attempt?
3. He entered college at age 15 –
Thanks to a special wartime program intended to boost enrollment and admit thriving high school students, King skipped two grades and entered Morehouse College at the age of only 15. He graduated with a B.A. in sociology at the age of 19.
4. He improvised a large part of his most famous speech –
The final section of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is believed to have been largely improvised, so next time you have to completely wing an in-class presentation, just remember that part of one of the most famous speeches in history was made up on the spot.
5. He is still the youngest male Nobel Peace Prize Recipient –
He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at age 35 and remains the youngest male to ever receive the prize. (The youngest female is Malala Yousafzai at age 17.)
6. He is one of two Americans to have a national holiday held in his honor –
He and George Washington are the only two Americans to have a national holiday named after them. This speaks volumes about the impact he left on our world considering the only other person was the father of our country.
7. He was arrested nearly 30 times –
King went to jail 29 times for acts of civil disobedience and on trumped-up charges when he was fighting for civil rights. He was arrested for everything from protesting the countries laws against civil liberties to driving 30 miles an hour in a 25 mile per hour zone.
8. He has 900 streets named after him –
After his assassination in 1968, cities across the nation began renaming streets in his honor, and many other countries followed suit. These streets are most prevalent in Alabama, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina
Martin Luther King Jr. was really one of the most influential people to walk on this earth. He touched and changed the lives of millions internationally, and I believe it is very important that we get to know as much as possible about him.