Source: Bettmann / Getty
Martin Luther King Jr., one of the world’s most famous advocates of non-violent social change strategies was a true man of peace.
As we commemorate him on the 49th anniversary of his death, here’s some facts about his life that you may not know.
- According to the History.com, King’s birth name was actually Michael, not Martin. At age five, his father returned from a 1934 trip to Germany where he was inspired by Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther and changed both he and his son’s name.
- Dr. King was a ride-or-die trekkie, and enjoyed watching the original “Star Trek” TV series. In an 2016 interview with The Guardian, “Star Trek” actress Nichelle Nichols said that once King approached her and expressed that “Star Trek” was the only show he allowed his children to watch.
- At age 10 King sang with his church choir at the 1939 Atlanta premiere of the movie Gone With The Wind, according to a reported piece by The Telegraph.
- There are about 900 streets named after Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States, including Puerto Rico, according to CNN.
- MLK enjoyed the arts and was supposedly an amazing dancer.
- He could allegedly shoot a basketball accurately with both hands.
SOURCE: History.com, The Guardian, The Telegraph, CNN
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