You and your kids have probably learned some of the basics about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his courageous contributions to the Civil Rights Movement — but do you know about some of the less well-known details of his life, including his childhood?
Facts like the following can surprise and inspire kids (and parents!) by showing that Dr. King was just an ordinary kid growing up, and that life — and leadership — can be messy. Share these stories with your kids to spark further conversations and learning on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and beyond.
Martin Luther King Jr. struggled with Speech class during school
He received a C in public speaking when he was enrolled at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. Despite that less-than-stellar grade, he was elected the student body president and graduated as the valedictorian of his class — and then went on to become one of the greatest public speakers in U.S. history.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s name was originally Michael
Martin was known as Michael or Mike in his early childhood. His father, who was a pastor known as Michael King Sr., went on a religious trip around the world in 1934. When he returned, he officially changed both his and his son’s names to Martin Luther, after the historical German Protestant reformer who inspired him.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a mischievous kid
Growing up, MLK Jr. was an ordinary kid who often made (mostly harmless) trouble, doing things like popping off dolls’ heads to use as baseballs, making his piano teacher’s stool collapse, scaring passersby from the bushes, and choosing the shortest possible Bible verse to recite. Later in life, he figured out how to turn his mischievous spirit into a force for good.
The “I Have a Dream” portion of his speech was unplanned
The well-known “I Have a Dream” section of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech at the March on Washington on August 28, 1963, was not part of his prepared remarks for that day. He partially improvised the “dream” section after his friend, the gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, called out, “Tell them about the dream.” He had mentioned his “dream” in previous speeches, but his advisors had told him to leave it out this time. Little did they know it would become one of the most famous and powerful speeches in U.S. history!
MLK Jr. was arrested 29 times during his life
Many authority figures in the South did not like what Dr. King and his colleagues stood for, so he was often targeted for arrest. Many of his 29 arrests did not lead to convictions, but he was jailed several times for acts of peaceful protest like organizing a bus boycott, sitting at a restaurant that wouldn’t serve him, and marching without a permit. Local police even jailed him for very minor violations like driving 5 miles over the speed limit. These details, as well as his eventual assassination and other acts of violence like the bombing of his home, show the great risks that he and other activists were willing to take to advance civil rights.
