Genius: MLK/X Star Kelvin Harrison Jr. Was ‘Shocked’ to Discover MLK’s Real First Name: ‘Pretty Cool’ 

Genius: MLK/X star Kelvin Harrison Jr. he shared that he discovered more about the civil rights leader he was playing that he didn’t know before the production.

During a Q&A at the premiere of National Geographic Genius season four, sponsored by PEOPLE’s Black Affinity group and the channel, the cast shared new information they learned about their characters. Harrison revealed that he couldn’t believe what name Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born with.

“I couldn’t believe his name was Michael. Was anyone else shocked by that? I mean, that was pretty cool,” Harrison explained.

The actor began to explain that in 1934, the father of the civil rights fighter, the Reverend Martin Luther King Sr. (born Michael Sr.), went on a trip to Germany – the birthplace of Protestantism. Harrison said the Reverend King told his 5-year-old son that he would rename them both Martin Luther, the same name as the German theologian, because King Jr. had a “much greater purpose”. (King Jr.’s death certificate was officially changed to reflect his new name in 1957.)

dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., April 3, 1968 in Memphis, TN.

Bettmann Archive

As Harrison continued, he recounted how he processed the new information. “I think about the kid who hears that. He doesn’t even understand what the purpose is. He’s like, ‘What was chosen?’ Now he has to understand the whole thing.”

“I thought it was such a pivotal moment in his life that most of us will never have to face,” Harrison admitted.

dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X’s ‘Dueling Philosophies’ spotlighted by NatGeo Genius: First Look

The actor explained that this particular exchange between father and son “concludes it [King Jr.] up in a perfect way.”

“Because now he’s much more aware of himself at such a young age about what everything means,” Harrison said. “What is his relationship to everything? What is his relationship to his identity? What is his relationship to a higher purpose?”

“I thought it was fascinating,” the actor concluded.

Martin Luther King Jr., played by Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Ralph Abernathy, played by Hubert Point-Du Jour, in ‘Genius: MLK/X’.

Richard DuCree/National Geographic

The series will give viewers a look at the “formative years, pioneering achievements, dueling philosophies and key personal relationships of both King Jr. (Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre).”

The eight-part series will also see the wives of two historical figures, Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia) and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson), come to the fore as “dreadful equals of the Movement”.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Aaron Pierre in ‘Genius: MLK/X’.

National Geographic/Richard DuCree

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X ‘Keep ’em Guessing’ in the big first trailer for the latest season Genius

Genius: MLK/X is the fourth part of National Geographic’s anthology docu-drama series. The series began in 2017 and documented the life of German theoretical physicist Albert Einstein (Geoffrey Rush). The series has since followed the lives of Spanish artist Pablo Picasso (Antonio Banderas) in season two and the legendary “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin (Cynthia Erivo) in season three.

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Genius: MLK/X premieres February 1, timed to coincide with Black History Month, on National Geographic and February 2 on Disney+ and Hulu. The pilot episode will simulcast on ABC on February 1st at 9pm ET.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education