Martin Luther King Jr Fun Facts
Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia.
He was the second child of Reverend Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King.
King skipped two grades and entered college at the age of
4. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Morehouse College in Atlanta.
King entered Crozier Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania, where he became interested in the works of Mahatma Gandhi.
He married Coretta Scott, a talented singer, on June 18, 1953.
King and his wife had four children: Yolanda, Martin Luther King III, Dexter, and Bernice.
King received his doctorate in systematic theology from Boston University in 1955.
He led the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus.
King delivered his famous I Have a Dream speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963.
He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his nonviolent movement against racial injustice.
King was the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of
He was arrested 29 times for his participation in civil rights protests.
King was influenced by the teachings of Henry David Thoreau and his concept of civil disobedience.
He led the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965 to demand voting rights for African Americans.
King met with President John F. Kennedy to discuss civil rights issues.
Martin Luther King Jr Fun Facts part 2
He was a strong advocate for economic equality and spoke out against poverty and inequality.
King founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957.
He delivered over 2,500 speeches during his lifetime.
King wrote five books, including Stride Toward Freedom and Why We Can’t Wait.
He was instrumental in the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
King’s home in Montgomery, Alabama, is now a national historic site.
He was inspired by Gandhi’s nonviolent resistance and incorporated it into the civil rights movement.
King advocated for the idea of a beloved community where all races and classes would live together.
He led the Chicago Open Housing Movement in 1966 to fight against housing segregation.
King’s mother was also assassinated, just six years after his own assassination.
He was dedicated to promoting nonviolence as a means of achieving social change.
King’s famous Letter from Birmingham Jail was written in response to criticism from local white clergymen.
He delivered his last speech, I’ve Been to the Mountaintop, the day before his assassination.
King’s assassin, James Earl Ray, was apprehended in London, England.
On April 4, 1968, King was shot and killed on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
He often quoted the Bible in his speeches and incorporated religious themes into his activism.
King was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977.
Many cities in the United States have streets named after Martin Luther King Jr. to honor his legacy.
His birthday became a national holiday in the United States in 1986.
King’s life and work are celebrated annually on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the third Monday in January.
He is the only non-president to have a memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
King’s I Have a Dream speech is considered one of the most important speeches in American history.
His famous quote, Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that, is still widely referenced today.
King’s work laid the foundation for future civil rights movements and remains influential to this day.
His childhood home in Atlanta became a National Historic Site in 1980.
King’s autopsy revealed that he had the heart of a 60-year-old man, likely due to the stress he endured during his life.
A memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. is currently being built on Boston Common.
King’s struggle for equality and justice resonates with people around the world, making him a global symbol of peace and social change.
King’s legacy continues to inspire people to fight for justice and equality for all.
