Top 10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent leader in the Civil Rights Movement and his contributions to American society are still celebrated and remembered today. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we honor his legacy and remember the impact he had on the world. However, there may be some facts about Martin Luther King Jr. that you may not know. So, on this valuable day, the World’s #1 Source of Research-Based Content, The Daily Top 10 we’ll take a look at the Top 10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and civil rights activist who was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs. The most famous thing when we hear about his name is his “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, in which he called for an end to racism and civil and economic rights for African Americans.

We have so many things to share with you join us as we explore these Top 10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Martin Luther King Jr. and gain a deeper understanding of the man who played a crucial role in shaping the world we live in today.

What is the Most Important Fact You Didn’t Know About Martin Luther King Jr.?

Now we all know that Martin Luther King Jr. is widely considered one of the most influential figures in American history and is remembered for his role in the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King’s birthday was chosen as a holiday to honor his life and legacy, making him the first non-president to have his birthday become a national holiday. So, it is worth knowing about him in every aspect as we have many life lessons to be added to his character.

But before we step into the most surprising fact about Martin Luther King Jr., let’s check out all the other facts that we’re going to share with you.

TOP 10: Martin Luther King Jr.’s First Name was Michael

Here is the first Martin Luther King Jr. fact most people are unaware of: The first name of Martin Luther King Jr. is Michael. According to Reader’s Digest, he was born Michael King Jr. on January 15, 1929, but his father, Michael King Sr., changed both of their names to Martin Luther in honor of the German Protestant leader Martin Luther.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s name change was not only to honor the leader Martin Luther but also to distance himself from his father. His father had a reputation for being an alcoholic and a womanizer, and Martin Luther King Jr. may have changed his name in part to distance himself from his father’s reputation.

TOP 9: Martin Luther King Jr. Entered College at the Age of 15

According to Cherokee Country, Martin Luther King Jr. started his education at a public school at age 5 and later went to Booker T. Washington High School. There he skipped two grades and entered college at the age of 15. Then he was admitted to Morehouse College for further education and graduated in 1948 with a B.A. in Sociology at the age of 19. Then he went on to Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania.

Despite receiving a C grade in a public speaking class, he was elected student body president and graduated valedictorian of his class in 1951. He enrolled in Boston University’s doctoral program and was awarded his Ph.D. at the age of 25. While in Boston, Martin Luther King Jr. met Coretta Scott and became a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. However, he was such a gifted student that he skipped grades nine (9) and twelve (12) before enrolling in 1944 at Morehouse College, the college of both his father and maternal grandfather.

TOP 8: Martin Luther King Jr. Was Arrested Nearly 30 Times

Although Martin Luther King Jr. was a great person and a reputed person in history, he was seen as a threat to American security by police officials. According to History, he had to go to jail nearly 30 times. The major reasons for those arrests are civil disobedience and trumped-up charges, such as he was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1956 for driving 30 miles per hour in a 25-mile-per-hour zone.

Even the FBI had paper trails showing that the agency had worked on efforts to the Martin Luther King Jr.’s progress. After his famous speech in 1963, “I Have a Dream,” the FBI intensified its investigation into Martin Luther King Jr. and the SCLC.

TOP 7: There are 900 Streets Named after Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s influence spreads even far past American roadways. Thousands of streets are named after Dr. King in other countries from Argentina to Denmark, and Madagascar to Germany. Haarlem and Netherlands are recognized as one of the first cities outside the U.S. to name a street after Dr. King, naming it ‘Martin Luther Kinglaan.’ With that beginning, more and more streets were named in Martin Luther King Jr.’s name to honor Dr. King’s legacy.

According to WTSP, there are approximately 900 streets named after Martin Luther King Jr. in the US. The number of streets increases every year, with 70 percent in Southern states, including Alabama, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina.

TOP 6: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Last Public Speech Foretold His Death

Today America celebrates the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr., who is known to just about every American today, from the smallest schoolchild to the elderly, for his great character. But the majority of his followers may not be aware that Martin Luther King Jr. had come to Memphis in April 1968 to support the strike of the city’s Black garbage workers, and in a speech on the night before his assassination, he told an audience at Mason Temple Church he foretold his death.

According to CNN, it includes, “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now… I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. And I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

TOP 5: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Mother Was Murdered by a Gunman

Alberta Williams, the mother of Martin Luther King Jr., played an unforgettable role in the affairs of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. On June 30, 1974, she was shot and killed in the church, six years after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. She was shot by a maniacal gunman who claimed that Christians were his enemy and that he received “divine instructions” to kill Martin Luther King Jr.’s father.

However, according to Essence Magazine, the man was convicted, receiving the death penalty sentence, which was later changed to life in prison, partly because Martin Luther King Jr.’s family did not believe in capital punishment.

TOP 4: Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

According to Standford, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was shot by James Earl Ray while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. Martin Luther King Jr.’s death led to widespread mourning and civil unrest, and he is remembered as a civil rights icon and advocate for racial equality.

In the months before his assassination, Martin Luther King Jr. was concerned with issues of economic inequality in America. He organized a Poor People’s Campaign to work on the issue, including a march on Washington, and in March 1968 traveled to Memphis to help poorly treated African-American sanitation workers. On March 28, a workers’ protest march led by Martin Luther King Jr. ended in violence and the death of an African American teenager. He left the city but vowed to return in early April to lead another demonstration.

TOP 3: Martin Luther King Jr. has 20 Honorary Degrees

Time is one of the first news magazines in the United States. It offers the “Man of the Year” for recognized individuals, groups, or objects that had the greatest influence on the year’s news, and has grown to be one of its most popular features. According to Stanford, Time named Martin Luther King Jr. in January 1964. It made this civil rights leader the first African American recipient of this honor. This was not Martin Luther King Jr.’s first appearance on the cover of Time. In 1957 he was featured on the cover for his role in the Montgomery bus boycott.

It covers a photograph on the cover plus a seven-page article, with several photos of the most memorable moments of his career such as meeting with President Lyndon B Johnson, and his 1963 arrest in Alabama. In addition, during his lifetime, Martin Luther King Jr. received 20 honorary degrees from colleges and universities across the US and around the world.

TOP 2: Youngest Person at the Time to Receive a Nobel Peace Prize

Martin Luther King Jr. received a Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 35. It was for combating racial inequality through nonviolence and he was recognized as the youngest man at the time to do so. According to The Culture Trip, he received a check for $54,123, with the Nobel prize and he donated it to various organizations.

It made him one of the youngest recipients of the Nobel prize in history until the youngest-ever Nobel laureate was Malala Yousafzai awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 at the age of 17.

TOP 1: Martin Luther King Jr. is the Only Non-President to have a National Holiday in his Name in the USA

According to Time and Date, Martin Luther King Jr. is the only non-president to have a national holiday in his name in the United States. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday in the United States, observed annually on the third Monday of January, which is close to his birthday, January 15. It is a day to honor the civil rights leader’s legacy and promote equal rights for all. The holiday was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 and first observed on January 20, 1986.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a relatively new federal holiday and there are few long-standing traditions. It is seen as a day of enhancing equal rights for all Americans, without considering their background. Some educational institutes mark the day with lessons and programs for their pupils or students about the work of Martin Luther King Jr. and the struggle against racial segregation and racism. So, Martin Luther King Jr. is the only non-president to have a national holiday in his name in the USA is the Most Important Fact You Didn’t Know About Martin Luther King Jr.

What are the Most Important Facts You Didn’t Know About Martin Luther King Jr.?

You knew he was a hero, but what else did you know about Martin Luther King Jr.? Chances are, you’ve missed some key details about the legendary civil rights leader. Take, for instance, The Daily Top 10 has put together 10 fascinating facts about the man, providing all further detail to his extraordinary stature in world history. So, we hope you may brush up on your Martin Luther King Jr. facts.

Here is the list of the Top 10 Most Important Facts You Didn’t Know About Martin Luther King Jr.:

1. Martin Luther King Jr. is the only non-president to have a national holiday in his name in the USA.
2. Martin Luther King Jr. is recorded as the youngest person at the time to receive a Nobel Peace Prize.
3. Martin Luther King Jr. has 20 honorary degrees and was named “Man of the Year” by Time magazine.
4. The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
5. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Mother Was Murdered by a Gunman.
6. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Last Public Speech Foretold His Death.
7. There are 900 Streets Named after Martin Luther King Jr.
8. Martin Luther King Jr. was Arrested Nearly 30 Times.
9. Martin Luther King Jr. entered College at the Age of 15.
10. Martin Luther King Jr.’s first name was Michael

We reached the end of our collection of facts about the great leader Martin Luther and let’s end our article with Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous quote “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” So, we hope you may add some new facts to your knowledge through our article and The Daily Top 10 always bring you the World’s #1 Source of Research-Based Content. So, subscribe to our Newsletter and update daily with us!