Here are some facts about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that aren’t widely known by the general public.
He was a Republican
Most people would assume that because Dr. King was black, and fought for the rights of the underprivileged, that he would naturally be a Democrat. But the truth is that by many accounts, Dr. King was a Republican, and more conservative in his views.
It is also little known that in the past, most southern blacks were Republicans due to the fact that Democrats were well known for their racist ideals. They were guilty of championing three ideals that were, and still are, looked down upon by blacks and northerners — slavery, secession, and segregation. Only recently has the Democratic party come to be known as a party that blacks and the underprivileged support. So knowing this, it is not very surprising that Dr. King would decide to associate himself with the Republican party during his lifetime.