Honoring MLK Jr – What You May Not Know

He got a "C" in public speaking and his name isn't really Martin.  Say what? It's true.  Here's some other things you probably don't know about Martin Luther King Jr.

He is one of only two Americans to be recognized by a national holiday.  The other is George Washington.

He was born Michael King Jr, but his father, Michael Sr., changed his name after a trip to Europe.  -  Hmmm... Ok.

He skipped both 9th & 11th grades & entered Morehouse College at 15.  He graduated at 19 with a bachelor's degree in Sociology.

He got a "C" in public speaking during his 1st year at Crozer Theological Seminary.  -  Don't worry.  He ended up Valedictorian.

He was arrested and put in jail nearly 30 times for acts of civil disobedience, as well as trumped-up charges.  -  One story I remember is him getting arrested for going 30 in a 25 mph zone in Alabama.

He's currently the youngest male to have won the Nobel Peace Prize.  35 years old.

He talked actress Nichelle Nichols (the black actress on Star Trek who played Uhura) into staying on the show.  She wanted to bail and do theater instead.

An ambulance wasn't called immediately after the shooting because the hotel's switchboard operator stepped out of her office and saw that he'd been shot.  She had a heart attack and died, and was the only one on the property who knew how to work the switchboard.