Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the greatest men alive in American History. He was a smart, inspiring and generous man who did all that he could to help the lives of African Americans living in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. Everyone knows about King and the Civil Rights Movement and his famous speech, “I Have a Dream” but there many other interesting facts about this great man.
Here are some interesting facts about King that you may or may not know:
- Martin Luther King Jr. along with George Washington are the only two Americans in history who have their birthdays celebrated as National Holidays.
- King’s name was originally Michael, but when his father went to Germany, he was inspired by Martin Luther so he changed his name as well as his son’s name to Martin Luther King Jr.
- King went to jail 29 times not just for fighting on behalf of Civil Rights but also for other minor incidents.
- King attended college when he was just 15 years old. He skipped two grades in high school and attended Morehouse College at the age of 15.
- We all know that King was an incredible speaker but did you know that he actually got a C grade in his public speaking class?
- King won a Grammy, not for music but for Best Spoken Word Album on his work for “Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam.”
- Lastly, King was the youngest Nobel Prize recipient during his time to receive this great honor.
In honor of this great man we end these interesting facts with few quotes.
- “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
- “The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”
- “We must use time creatively.”
- “At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.”
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day to all and we hope everyone takes time to remember this wonderful man and to all that he did for America.
Happy Birthday Mister King!