Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day & the History of He & His Father’s Name

Could the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr had possibly been named something else at birth? He most certainly could have and actually was, but his father, Martin Luther King Sr. discovered a big detail that changed the course of the future as far as who we know as Martin as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

As recorded in the African American owned newspaper called The Afro American, it was the journalist Ted Poston that Martin Luther King, Sr. had no idea that his first name was Martin until the age of 22. It as his father James King who told him that his name was Martin after revealing that his mother only called him Mike for short.

When Martin Sr. digested the fact that his name was Martin and also discovered that he share the same name of a Protestant Reformist, he was excited. According to what is documented in The Afro-American, he accepted his name as Martin wholeheartedly after going by Mike, or Michael, for so long.

Even on some vital records, Martin Sr.’s name was recorded as Mike, his nickname. His parents couldn’t read or write, but they knew what they named him verbally. Fast-forward to when Martin Sr.’s son was born, he named him Martin Luther King, Jr., but the doctor who delivered Martin Jr. incidentally named him Michael on his birth certificate! He had to go back and fix all of it.

Aren’t we all glad he found out in time, and aren’t we glad he got it all fixed? Now we have the real names, Martin.

There are several accounts that tell another version of this story, however, this particular story came from the mouth of Martin Sr. himself to The Afro-American.

Now as far as the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he has gone by several names such as Tweed, which was a name he grew up with that his homeboys used to call him. There as also, Little Mike, which stems from his father being nicknamed Mike. Many people in of the church called him The King and even those who didn’t know him personally would call him Moses and even The Eye of the Hurricane or The Eye of the Storm.

Today, we remember the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in many ways as he was a leader, peaceful fighter and one who stood for justice in the name of the Lord. Here at Black Entrepreneur History believe in pulling out some of the great not so known history of our blessed leaders.

Happy Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

This article was written by Mirika Mayo Cornelius, author and founder of Black Entrepreneur History

Source: The Afro-American, Baltimore, Maryland · Saturday, June 08, 1957