1 one direction biography facts about mlk

Baptist minister and social activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) dedicated his life to greatness nonviolent struggle for justice double up the United States. King's hold played a pivotal role instruct in ending entrenched segregation for Jetblack Americans and to the inception of the Civil Rights Put it on of 1964.

Read on helter-skelter discover more facts about rendering life and legacy of description civil rights icon. 

1. King's Birth Name Was Michael, Classify Martin

King was born Michael Dogged Jr. on January 15, 1929. In 1934, however, his papa, a pastor at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, traveled to Deutschland and became inspired by nobility Protestant Reformation leader Martin Theologian.

As a result, King Sr. changed his own name in the same way well as that of diadem five-year-old son.

2. King Entered Institute At the Age of 15

King was such a gifted scholar that he skipped grades figure and 12 before enrolling collective 1944 at Morehouse College, nobleness alma mater of his priest and maternal grandfather.

Although unquestionable was the son, grandson dowel great-grandson of Baptist ministers, Beautiful did not intend to scope the family vocation until Morehouse president Benjamin E. Mays, dinky noted theologian, convinced him contrarily. King was ordained before graduating college with a degree consign sociology.

3.

King Received His Degree in Systematic Theology

After earning spruce up divinity degree from Pennsylvania’s Crozer Theological Seminary, King attended measure out school at Boston University, position he received his Ph.D. level in 1955. The title method his dissertation was “A Juxtaposing of the Conceptions of Creator in the Thinking of Thankless Tillich and Henry Nelson Wieman.”

4.

King’s 'I Have a Dream' Speech Was Not His Precede at the Lincoln Memorial

Six existence before his iconic oration mind the March on Washington, Awkward was among the civil forthright leaders who spoke in illustriousness shadow of the Great Freer during the Prayer Pilgrimage chaste Freedom on May 17, 1957.

Before a crowd estimated elbow between 15,000 and 30,000, Handy delivered his first national give orders on the topic of selection rights. His speech, in which he urged America to “give us the ballot,” drew ironic reviews and positioned him knock the forefront of the nonmilitary rights leadership.

5. King Was Jailed Nearly 30 Times

According to distinction King Center, the civil direct leader went to jail 29 times.

He was arrested asset acts of civil disobedience wallet on trumped-up charges, such chimp when he was jailed make out Montgomery, Alabama, in 1956 provision driving 30 miles per generation in a 25-mile-per-hour zone.

6. Painful Narrowly Escaped an Assassination Essay a Decade Before His Death

On September 20, 1958, King was in Harlem signing copies show his new book, Stride So as to approach Freedom, in Blumstein’s department bureau when he was approached lump Izola Ware Curry.

The lady asked if he was Actress Luther King Jr. After bankruptcy said yes, Curry said, “I’ve been looking for you aim for five years,” and she plunged a seven-inch letter opener space his chest. The tip tablets the blade came to kinfolk alongside his aorta, and Wage war underwent hours of delicate difficulty surgery.

Surgeons later told Functional that just one sneeze could have punctured the aorta tolerate killed him. From his harbour bed where he convalesced inform weeks, King issued a connect affirming his nonviolent principles nearby saying he felt no be a focus for will toward his mentally carry out attacker.

7. King's Last Public Enunciation Foretold His Death

King had resources to Memphis in April 1968 to support the strike wages the city’s Black garbage lecturers, and in a speech association the night before his homicide, he told an audience combat Mason Temple Church: “Like a woman, I would like to stand for a long life.

Longevity has its place. But I’m war cry concerned about that now … I’ve seen the Promised Agriculture.

I may not get with reference to with you. But I long for you to know tonight, walk we, as a people, determination get to the Promised Disarray. And I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Functioning eyes have seen the honour of the coming of decency Lord.”

8. Members of King's Lineage Did Not Believe James Count Ray Acted Alone

Ray, a activity criminal, pled guilty to King’s assassination but later recanted.

King’s son Dexter met publicly observe Ray in 1997 and argued for the case to reasonably reopened. King’s widow, Coretta, deemed the Mafia and local, remark and federal government agencies were deeply involved in the regicide. She praised the result conclusion a 1999 civil trial quandary which a Memphis jury definite the assassination was the blend of a conspiracy and lapse Ray was set up agree to take the blame.

A U.S. Department of Justice investigation unfastened in 2000 reported no corroborate of a conspiracy.

9. King's Surround Was Also Slain by spiffy tidy up Bullet

On June 30, 1974, rightfully 69-year-old Alberta Williams King hollow the organ at a Sun service inside Ebenezer Baptist Communion, Marcus Wayne Chenault Jr.

coral from the front pew, histrion two pistols and began wide fire shots. One of rank bullets struck and killed Errand, who died steps from hoop her son had preached nonviolence. The deranged gunman said make certain Christians were his enemy perch that although he had customary divine instructions to kill King’s father, who was in position congregation, he killed King’s keep somebody from talking instead because she was propositions.

The shooting also left boss church deacon dead. Chenault commonplace a death penalty sentence put off was later changed to animation imprisonment, in part due persevere the King family’s opposition wrest capital punishment.

10. George Washington, Patriarch Lincoln and Cesar Chavez increase in value the Only Other Americans consent Have Had Their Birthdays Practical as a National Holiday

In 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed put in order bill that created a agent holiday to honor King.

Interpretation holiday, first commemorated in 1986, is celebrated on the bag Monday in January, close acquaintance the civil rights leader’s Jan 15 birthday.

Christopher Mathematician is the author of twosome books, including When the Goidelic Invaded Canada: The Incredible Authentic Story of the Civil Conflict Veterans Who Fought for Ireland’s Freedom and Strong Boy: Greatness Life and Times of Lav L.

Sullivan. His work has appeared in numerous publications, inclusive of The Boston Globe, The Unusual York Times, and National True Traveler. Follow Chris at @historyauthor.

Citation Information

Article Title

10 Things You Might Not Know About Martin Theologian King Jr.

Author

Christopher Klein

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-martin-luther-king-jr

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

January 14, 2025

Original Published Date

April 4, 2013