The Breaking News in this story is about the discovery of how and when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. received his Rolex Datejust and it's so exciting I had to borrow Hodinkee's BREAKING NEWS moniker—again :-)
...Profiles In Courage...
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
1929-1968
1929-1968
The Greatest Rolex Hero In History
It has been a tradition for me to re-publish this timeless and deeply inspirational story of amazing achievement every year on the weekend leading up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Each year, I update this story and images to better share and articulate this amazing story of courage, wisdom, love, sacrifice, patience, moxie and absolute dedication.
This update for Martin Luther King Day in 2020 represents perhaps the single most exiting story breakthrough!! One of my brilliant researchers, Alan, from Hong Kong solved the mystery of where Dr. King got his Rolex Datejust, and it turns out Dr. King received it from the Nobel Prize committee as part of his award. This following excerpt comes from the Book titled 'Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.' by Gloria D. Miklowitz which was published in 1977, and as we see it reads:
"The medal (Nobel Peace Prize) and gold (Rolex Datejust) watch Martin (Dr. King) would keep".
"The medal (Nobel Peace Prize) and gold (Rolex Datejust) watch Martin (Dr. King) would keep".
Bernard Lee (pictured below on far right) who was a member of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s official staff also recounted in the book titled 'The days of Martin Luther King, Jr.' by Jim Bishop:
"A surgeon pointed to the Nobel Prize (Rolex Datejust) watch and asked one of the ministers to remove it from the wrist and put it in his pocket."
Bernard Lee is pictured above on the far right along with Andrew Young, and Ralph Abernathy with Dr. King as they arrived at the Memphis airport just before Dr. King was assassinated. Bernard Lee is pictured below sitting next to Dr. King, and we see Jesse Jackson standing in front of them. Bernard Lee as a confidant and adviser to Dr. King, and served at the vice president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Lee was also a founding member of the the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. It is totally off-point but I could not help but notice both Bernard Lee and Dr. King are are wearing the exact same shoes in the photo below :-)
From my research it appears Rolex has been quietly working with and supporting The Nobel Prize organization for more than a half-century, so it stands to reason many other Nobel Prize Award recipients have received Rolex watches as part of thier prize.
"A surgeon pointed to the Nobel Prize (Rolex Datejust) watch and asked one of the ministers to remove it from the wrist and put it in his pocket."
From my research it appears Rolex has been quietly working with and supporting The Nobel Prize organization for more than a half-century, so it stands to reason many other Nobel Prize Award recipients have received Rolex watches as part of thier prize.
Brilliant Civil Rights
Leadership & Achievement
1964 Nobel Peace Prize Winner
[Yellow Gold Rolex Datejust]
Achievement for achievement sake is one thing. Achieving for others–in the name of love–is the greatest achievement of all.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with Senator Edward Kennedy August 8, 1966 (AP Photo)
Martin Luther King Jr., Day is a National Holiday in the United States and the choice of January 15th is based upon Martin Luther King Jr's birthday, which is celebrated on the third Monday of January each year. Martin Luther King Jr. was born January 15, 1929, and was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
President Ronald Reagan
Stainless Steel Rolex Datejust: Jubilee Bracelet
Ronald Reagan signed the Dr. Martin Luther King holiday into law in 1983, and President Reagan said:
"I favor the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and it must be enforced at gunpoint if necessary." —Ronald Reagan
President Ronald Reagan wore the same model of Rolex Datejust Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wore. The only difference was President Reagan wore a stainless steel Rolex Datejust as seen in the photos above and below from 1965, and from 1983 respectively, and Dr. King wore a yellow gold Rolex Datejust.
President Ronald Reagan wore the same model of Rolex Datejust Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wore. The only difference was President Reagan wore a stainless steel Rolex Datejust as seen in the photos above and below from 1965, and from 1983 respectively, and Dr. King wore a yellow gold Rolex Datejust.
The Great Communicator on King
In the video below we witness then U.S. President Ronald Reagan giving a speech on the profound impact, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had on civil rights. Then we see Reagan sign the bill into law to make Dr. King's birthday an American holiday. We also see Dr. King's widow Coretta Scott King make some amazing remarks.
35th Anniversary Celebration
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. is the only American for which there is a Federal holiday in his name who wore a Rolex, and this year's celebration of the Martin Luther King day represents the 35th year the United States has celebrated this holiday. Dr. King wore a yellow gold Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet as seen in many of the photos in this story.
"The time is always right to do what is right." –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
A Power Tool-Watch
How Dr. King Won His Rolex Datejust
If you are not very familiar with Rolex watches, some people would separate them into two different categories: Rolex Sports 'Tool' watches & Rolex Dress Watches. Rolex Tool watches would include models like the stainless steel Submariner, GMT-Master, Daytona & Milgauss. These "Professional" Rolex watch models were nicknamed "Tool Watches", by collectors as they were originally made as tools for specific Professional use by Scuba divers, Pilots, Race Car Drivers, and Scientists.
The other category of Rolex is commonly referred to as "dress watches", and would include the Rolex Datejust, Day-Date and Cellini models, but one could argue gold Rolex watches are also tool watches for politicians, civil rights leaders, and businessmen as wearing one on your wrist makes a bold declarative statement. In the photo below we see U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower proudly wearing his yellow gold Rolex Datejust while in office.
The other category of Rolex is commonly referred to as "dress watches", and would include the Rolex Datejust, Day-Date and Cellini models, but one could argue gold Rolex watches are also tool watches for politicians, civil rights leaders, and businessmen as wearing one on your wrist makes a bold declarative statement. In the photo below we see U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower proudly wearing his yellow gold Rolex Datejust while in office.
Prior to discovering Dr. King was awarded his Rolex by the Nobel Prize committee I heard a story that Dr. King was initially apprehensive about wearing his bold gold Rolex Datejust he won as part of his Nobel Peace Prize as he didn't want people to get the wrong idea about him.
Dr. King had already significantly toned down his style of dress, to achieve the goal, of dressing more like a common man. Think President Bill Clinton wearing his Timex Triathlon and President Barak Obama wearing thier very inexpensive watches while in office. I believe both Clinton and Obama did this to seem like, and appeal to the common man. [Kind of a reverse pretentiousness to my way of thinking :-]. Ironically, both Presidents would later wear Rolex watches after they left the Presidency.
As the story goes, a fellow civil rights leader pointed-out to Dr. King he was in an arena with some of the most powerful men in the world. This list included Presidents of The United States, who distinguished themselves by wearing a Rolex (power) tool watch on their wrist, which made a bold declarative statement. The leader argued strongly that Dr. King should possess the same (power) tool watch.
He reminded Dr. King that when he met with President Eisenhower, he wore the same model of yellow gold Rolex Datejust. He also pointed out the fact the current President of the United States, Lydon Johnson had recently started wearing a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date in 1964. Dr. King accepted the Rolex as part of his Nobel Peace Prize and wore it until he was assassinated while wearing it four years later.
Rolex Day-Date Magazine Ad
January 1973
The following fascinating Rolex advertisement was published in a magazine in January of 1973—45 years ago. We gain much insight from this Rolex magazine ad in the sense we learn Rolex was very proud of the people who wore their watches, but at the same time very discreet about not revealing their identities. It is interesting to notice the hallway outside of Rolex CEO, André Heiniger's office looked like an Italian restaurant with all the photographs on the walls :-) It is amazing to note how much Rolex advertising has changed over the last half-century.
If Only These Walls Could Talk
Below is a higher-resolution photo of the executive offices at Rolex Headquarters in Geneva in 1973, as pictured in the Rolex ad above. This image is different from the one in the Rolex ad as it is not cropped the same way and shows significantly more detail with a wider field of vision. The first thing you might notice is that only the first images on the far left are at all visible, in the sense that you can barely see the images. I have invested countless hours studying this image in the past, trying to figure out who all the slightly visible characters are, and I discovered a very interesting clue that is on-point for this story on Dr. King.
Let's do the Harrison Ford Blade Runner thing with the image above:
Deckard: "Enhance 224 to 176. Enhance, stop. Move in, stop. Pull out, track right, stop. Center in, pull back. Stop. Track 45 right. Stop. Center and stop. Enhance 34 to 36. Pan right and pull back. Stop. Enhance 34 to 46. Pull back. Wait a minute, go right, stop. Enhance 57 to 19. Track 45 left. Stop. Enhance 15 to 23. Give me a hard copy right there."
The image below is the result of zooming in Blade Runner style. Notice the photo on the far left. You are looking for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:
Below is the portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King that was located in the Rolex Executive Hallway in 1973:
Dr. Martin Luther King began wearing his Rolex Datejust in 1964 after being awarded it as part of his Nobel Peace Prize, which was a few years after Rolex's second CEO, André Heiniger took over the helm of Rolex. André Heiniger was a hardcore idealist. He admired and had a great deal of respect for men and women who pushed the envelope in their respected fields.
André was also committed to continue Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf's vision of making certain that all the top leaders in the world wore Rolex. In my podcast interviews with Rolex U.S.A. Executive, T. Walker Lloyd, I learned that Rolex likely gave then U.S. President Johnson his Rolex Day-Date, and we know for a FACT that Rolex gave General Dwight Eisenhower his yellow gold Rolex Day-Date in 1948 when he was the Supreme Commander of NATO in Europe.
Rolex CEO, André Heiniger 1963 pictured above
From a historical perspective it is fascinating to note Rolex indirectly gave Martin Luther King Jr. his Rolex Datejust as part of the Nobel Pease Prize award. Rolex proudly displayed Dr. King's portrait in their executive hallway in Geneva in 1973, and from everything I have learned about André Heiniger over the past decade, he was a hardcore idealist. Thus, I believe he was a huge admirer of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as his vision to make the world a much better and more equitable place.
Peaceful Warrior
Peace March On Selma, Alabama
February 1, 1965
...Precursor To Bloody Sunday...
In the photo below we see Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as he prays with some of his fellow civil rights warriors as they prepare to peacefully march on February 1, 1965, in Selma, Alabama.
Just 5 weeks later, on March 7, 1965 "Bloody Sunday" would take place, and this King would take his loyal and peaceful soldiers into the battle of their lives, which would fundamentally change American history and represent the pivotal and emotional peak of the Civil Rights Movement in America...
It crosses my mind that Dr. King is the greatest hero in the Rolex history world because he was real and he paid with his life so the world could become a much better place. Dr. King stood up for people who could not stand up for themselves and that is probably the truest definition of a real hero.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. [Letter from Birmingham, Alabama Jail, April 16, 1963]
In the two photos below we see Dr. Martin King Jr., along with fellow protestors as they are pushed backward by Mississippi state patrolmen on June 8, 1965. This was part of the 220-mile 'March Against Fear' that went from Memphis Tennesee to Jackson, Mississippi.
It Doesn't Just Tell Time.
It Tells History.
It Tells History.
"Why this watch? This watch is witness to words that moved nations. It's dared men faster. further. Worn by luminaries. Visionaries. Champions. It doesn't Just tell time. It tells History.
A recent Rolex ad campaign slogan says: "It doesn't just tell time. It tells history." If you closely study the images above and below, you will see the living personification of these words from Rolex.
In the photo below taken on August 5, 1966, we see Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. after he fell on to one knee as a result of being hit in the head with a rock that was thrown by a group of hecklers. As King attempted to stand back up, he was physically attacked and battered by the men in the photo.
Dr. King was leading a group of marchers at the time in Chicago who were legally demonstrating against alleged housing discrimination in an all-white district in Chicago. Dr. King commented on the incident and said, “I’ve been in many demonstrations all across the South, but I can say that I have never seen, even in Mississippi and Alabama, mobs as hostile and as hate-filled as I’m seeing in Chicago.” Notice Dr. King is wearing his Rolex Datejust in the photos above and below.
Two years later, On April 11, 1968, a week after Dr. King's assassination, President Johnson signed into law the Fair Housing Act.
Nobel Peace Prize Recipient
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man of tremendous achievement and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 as well as the Presidential Medal of Honor and the Congressional Gold Medal. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, as Michael King Jr. Obviously, he was named after his father, The Honorable Reverend, Michael King Sr, who like his son, was a Baptist Preacher and a superb orator. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s nickname growing up was Little Mike.
Martin Luther King Jr. is pictured above wearing his trademark yellow gold Rolex Datejust
The Making Of A King
Martin Luther King Jr., at age 6, just after his name was changed from Michael King Jr.
This name change occurred when his father, Michael King Sr., changed both their names after a 1934 trip he took to Europe. Michael King Sr. was on a tour of the Holy Land and cities in Europe, and he ended up spending a week in Berlin, Germany where he attended the Baptist World Alliance Conference.
During his trip, Reverend Michael King Sr. toured a number of historically significant religious areas where Professor Martin Luther (1483-1546) defied the Catholic Church hundreds of years earlier in the 16th Century.
During his trip, Reverend Michael King Sr. toured a number of historically significant religious areas where Professor Martin Luther (1483-1546) defied the Catholic Church hundreds of years earlier in the 16th Century.
Professor Martin Luther (1483-1546)
500th Anniversary Of Protestant Reformation
The original Professor Martin Luther, pictured above in a painting, was a theologian and Catholic priest in the 16th Century. He was a man of high achievement, so much so he was the first to translate the New Testament from the Bible into German. This was a time when the Catholic Church dominated in Germany.
Martin Luther was unhappy with the apparent hypocrisy of the Catholic Church, and in particular with the sale of indulgences. Martin Luther published a document in 1517 known as Ninety-five Theses, also know as Disputation on The Power of Indulgences, in which he put forth a list of 95 solutions to abusive and hypocritical practices.
When looking so far back in the rear-view mirror of history, It is important to properly contextualize Professor Martin Luther's timeframe in history. In 1517, there were no iPhones, or iPads, or PCs or 7-11s that were open 24-7-365. There was no internet, Google, TV, radio or even Rolex watches. There was no electricity or indoor plumbing. Instead, people were pre-occupied with religion, because that's all there was. As a matter of fact, Galileo Galilei hadn't even been born yet, and the Catholic church insisted the earth was flat and not round.
At the time, preachers in the Catholic church sold "plenary indulgences', which were pieces of paper put forth as documents that would significantly reduce the punishment one would experience, or their family members after they died and went to purgatory, on their way to Heaven or Hell. People could buy indulgences for sins committed, or sins family members committed—both alive and dead, and they could even buy indulgences for friends or for sins they would commit in the future.
The image below is a woodcut of an indulgence-seller in a church from a pamphlet that was printed in 1521.
Martin Luther thought this was absurd, and as a result sent the Archbishop of Mainz, Albert of Brandenburg, on October 31, 1517 (exactly 500 years ago) a letter with his 95 Theses, which in turn began the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther was tried for heresy and was excommunicated from the Catholic Church in 1521.
The Protestant Reformation had a profound effect on Europe and forever changed the way some people thought about the Catholic Church, especially in places like Switzerland. This may seem insignificant in this day of Xbox and PlayStation, but back then it was a big deal. Understanding this point provides the Nexus-point between Dr. Martin Luther King's namesake, Martin Luther.
In other words, both Martin Luther's were both highly disruptive men, who attacked and upset the status quo. This also explains why Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s father, Michael King Sr., changed both his name as well as his son's name from Michael King to Martin Luther King. I very highly recommend watching the Martin Luther documentary below, which sheds substantial light on history.
Martin Luther was unhappy with the apparent hypocrisy of the Catholic Church, and in particular with the sale of indulgences. Martin Luther published a document in 1517 known as Ninety-five Theses, also know as Disputation on The Power of Indulgences, in which he put forth a list of 95 solutions to abusive and hypocritical practices.
Original 1517 Copy of Martin Luther 95 Theses Document
When looking so far back in the rear-view mirror of history, It is important to properly contextualize Professor Martin Luther's timeframe in history. In 1517, there were no iPhones, or iPads, or PCs or 7-11s that were open 24-7-365. There was no internet, Google, TV, radio or even Rolex watches. There was no electricity or indoor plumbing. Instead, people were pre-occupied with religion, because that's all there was. As a matter of fact, Galileo Galilei hadn't even been born yet, and the Catholic church insisted the earth was flat and not round.
At the time, preachers in the Catholic church sold "plenary indulgences', which were pieces of paper put forth as documents that would significantly reduce the punishment one would experience, or their family members after they died and went to purgatory, on their way to Heaven or Hell. People could buy indulgences for sins committed, or sins family members committed—both alive and dead, and they could even buy indulgences for friends or for sins they would commit in the future.
The image below is a woodcut of an indulgence-seller in a church from a pamphlet that was printed in 1521.
Martin Luther thought this was absurd, and as a result sent the Archbishop of Mainz, Albert of Brandenburg, on October 31, 1517 (exactly 500 years ago) a letter with his 95 Theses, which in turn began the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther was tried for heresy and was excommunicated from the Catholic Church in 1521.
The Protestant Reformation had a profound effect on Europe and forever changed the way some people thought about the Catholic Church, especially in places like Switzerland. This may seem insignificant in this day of Xbox and PlayStation, but back then it was a big deal. Understanding this point provides the Nexus-point between Dr. Martin Luther King's namesake, Martin Luther.
In other words, both Martin Luther's were both highly disruptive men, who attacked and upset the status quo. This also explains why Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s father, Michael King Sr., changed both his name as well as his son's name from Michael King to Martin Luther King. I very highly recommend watching the Martin Luther documentary below, which sheds substantial light on history.
Obviously, there are many parallels between Professor Martin Luther and Dr. Martin Luther King. They both began as religious men and went on a quest to disrupt the status quo and change their respective worlds.
President Abraham Lincoln
This rare photo of Abraham Lincoln was taken in 1863 by Alexander Gardner was used by the French sculptor, Daniel Chester as the reference for the Lincoln Memorial, which today stand across from the Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the Washington Square.
The Great Emancipator
On January 1, 1863, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed his Presidential Proclamation and Executive Order which purported to change the Federal legal status of more than 3 Million enslaved people, from 'Slave' to 'Free'. This 5-page document changed the face of America, and acted as a bridge to the work Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., would continue a century later.
Abraham Lincoln
The First Rolex President
I have been arguing for a long time, that Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex was an incredible entrepreneur and brilliant strategic marketing expert. So before the Rolex Day-Date, Datejust, Submariner, and The Rolex GMT, and Rolex Daytona, there were Rolex Oyster models named after famous people that inspired Hans Wilsdorf, and one of them was U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln.
Below we see a rose gold Rolex "Lincoln" Oyster model, which was quite stunning.
The Rolex Oyster Lincoln model below look similar to the one pictured above, but it is a different model, in a yellow gold case.
In the photo below we see a stainless steel Rolex Oyster Lincoln model in a beautiful cushion case, which was made in the 1940s, with a reference number of 3388.
The Lincoln Memorial, pictured below, would end up becoming the place where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., would change American History forever, as we will learn later in this story.
The Greatest Rolex Hero
A Fearless Man Who Fought For Mankind
"We must learn to live together as brothers, or perish together as fools." –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I made a bold declarative statement when I said Martin Luther King Jr., is the greatest heroes in Rolex history. Why makes this so? Martin Luther King Jr's life was threatened by many people including the F.B.I. One day a bomb went off in front of his home which blew-up and completely destroyed his front porch. He continued to get death threats and was told that if he did not stop, he would be killed.
After his porch was rebuilt, he kept going, and he kept standing up for people who could not stand up for themselves. Every day he continued to walk up the stairs of his home with his four small children, past the porch that had been rebuilt, full-well knowing that at any moment, he or any member of his family could be killed. Martin Luther King Jr. refused to be driven by fear!!!
There are many men and women who wore a Rolex watch on their wrist in history which somehow propelled them toward achieving amazing feats, but none as heroic, substantial and meaningful as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I can't help but wonder if Martin Luther King Jr., was inspired by his beautiful yellow-gold Datejust the same way President Eisenhower was with his?
I wonder if Martin Luther King used to sit and stare in admiration at how beautiful his Rolex was? I can't help but wonder if he used to lay in bed at night in the dark and watch the lumed dial and hands glow in the same awe that many, many Rolex wearers do?
I can't help but wonder if wearing his Rolex didn't cause Dr. King to feel invulnerable like Chuck Yeager when he broke the sound barrier with his Rolex on his wrist, or Tensing Norgay when he finally conquered Mount Everest, or Jacques Piccard when he and U.S. Navy Captain Don Walsh finally landed on the deepest known part of the ocean floor in the Bathyscaphe Trieste, 7 Miles down, in the Marianas Trench in 1960?
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in moments of challenge and controversy." –Dr. Martin Luther King [Strength To Love, 1963]
Understanding King
To best understand the brilliant philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King, let's first watch this video which was one of the first video interviews of Dr. King and it was filmed October 27, 1957, which was during the Eisenhower Presidential administration.
Next up we have another fascinating interview, also from 1957 of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Let no man pull you low enough to hate him." –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
As you just learned if you watched the videos above, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an unusually peaceful and equally intelligent, courageous and articulate man. Martin Luther King Junior was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, and was the middle child of Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King.
Martin Luther King, Jr was actually born Michael King Jr., and in 1934, when his family traveled to Germany his father was so inspired, he changed their names to Martin Luther in honor of the Martin Luther, the German Protestant leader.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a brilliant student who was so intelligent he completed high school in two years and then attended Morehouse College at age 15!!! After graduating from Morehouse with a Bachelor Of Arts degree in sociology, he attended Crozer Theological Seminary located in Chester, Pennsylvania, where he graduated with a masters degree of Bachelor Of Divinity in 1951.
On June 18, 1953, he wed Coretta Scott and they eventually had four children. At age 25, Martin Luther King then became the Pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Then he pursued his Doctorate in Systematic Theology at Boston College, and on June 5, 1955, he earned his Doctor Of Philosophy degree.
On December 1, 1955, Rossa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger and move to the back of the bus. This prompted the Montgomery Bus Boycott which lasted 385 days. Martin Luther King was on the committee from the Birmingham African-American community and as a protester, in February 1956 he was arrested and we see his mugshot below which was taken when he was only 27 years old.
Dr. King continued to fight for what he believed in and as we see in this next photo by Charles Moore, he is being arrested by police in 1958 for loitering in the in the vicinity of the Montgomery, Alabama Recorder's Court. The charge was later changed to "Failure to obey a police officer."
MLK meets Ike
On June 23, 1958, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower invited Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., to the White House to discuss the progress he was making on Civil Rights. Other African American leaders in the meeting included Roy Wilkins, Lester Granger, and A. Philip Randolf.
Dr. Martin Luther King is pictured below with Vice President Nixon in the White House in 1957.
MLK Meets JFK
President Kennedy invited Martin Luther King to the White House to talk about civil rights on October 16, 1962.
On December 17, 1962, President Kennedy invited Dr. Martin Luther King back to the White House to discuss civil rights. In the photo below we see American civil right leader Roy Wilkins standing behind Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who is shaking hands with Adlai Stevenson who was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, who is standing next to President Kennedy in the Oval Office.
MLK Meets with RFK
In the photo below, we see Dr. Martin Luther King was invited back to the White House on June 22, 1963, to meet with the United States Attorney General, Robert Kennedy, and Vice President Lyndon Johnson to discuss civil rights along with many other American Civil Right Leaders.
JFK and MLK would meet again in the White House on August 28, 1963, this time JFK would meet with the leaders of The March On Washington. This political demonstration garnered more political coverage than any other in history. It was crystal-clear that JFK understood the significance of the Civil Rights Movement.
Martin Luther King
On President Kennedy's Assassination
I Have A Dream Speech
March On Washington D.C.
August 28, 1963
This next image is extremely profound as it offers an unusual view from behind Abraham Lincoln's statue located in the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington D.C., and we witness Abraham Lincoln witnessing what he set out to achieve. The symbology behind this image is amazing if you think about it!!! It is also a profound irony that Abraham Lincoln was also likely assassinated for trying to protect people that could not protect themselves.
"Beyond the reflecting pool, stand the dignified columns of the Lincoln Memorial. Whoever would understand in his heart the meaning of America will find it in the life of Abraham Lincoln." –President Ronald Reagan.
Martin Luther King Jr's, I Have A Dream speech is one of the deepest and most profound speeches any man has ever given.
The March On Washington was a huge success and many leading Hollywood actors attended the event including (as seen below) Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, and Charleton Heston.
"Ten thousand fools proclaim themselves into obscurity, while one wise man forgets himself into immortality." –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Winning The Nobel Peace Prize
With His Rolex Datejust On His Wrist
On December 10, 1964, at only age 35, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., became the youngest person to ever win the Nobel Peace Prize. In the photo below, you see Dr. King holding his coveted Nobel Peace Prize medallion in his hand, and if you click on the image and look closely, you see him wearing his trademark yellow gold Rolex Datejust on his wrist.
"When a man has a world in his hands, you expect to find a Rolex on his wrist." –Rolex Advertisement (1965)
Below you can watch the video of Dr. Martin Luther King's acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace prize. As previously mentioned, he was the youngest recipient in history to win the prize at only 35 years of age. It blows my mind how mature and intelligent he was for his age!!!
Dr. King with Malcolm X
In the photo below we see Dr. King with fellow civil rights leader Malcolm X at their first meeting in 1964.
The Rolex President & King
Dr. Martin Luther King is pictured below attending a meeting with President Lyndon Johnson in the White House in Washington D.C. You can click on the next two images below to get a better view of Dr. King's Rolex.
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men." –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. [Strength To Love, 1963]
Dr. King is pictured below negotiating with President Johnson who also wore a yellow gold Rolex.
Dr. King's Dream Finally Came True
"I have a dream, that my four little children, will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The last celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., was profound because it fell on the eve of the eve of President Barack Obama's inauguration. Prior to being elected President Of The United States, Barack Obama gave this fascinating speech at Dr. King's church:
In this next short video interview, we hear Dr. King predict that he believes America could elect a black president in the next 24-40 years.
"I submit to you, that if a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live." –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. [Speech in Detroit. June 23, 1963].
Dr. King On Vietnam and The Value Of Truth
Even though this is a video, it is just audio of a speech Dr. King gave on why he opposed the war in Vietnam. This speech ended up winning a Grammy award for The Best Spoken Word Recording. Dr. King also speaks about how he was inspired by having won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Dr. Martin Luther King wore a yellow gold Rolex Datejust as pictured above and below. The photo of Dr. King praying (above), was taken just weeks before his death. When Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee he was wearing his beloved Rolex Datejust.
It is deeply profound to consider the man who successfully set America free and caused it to live up to its creed, did so wearing a Rolex Datejust!!! Dr. King lived and died for America. I believe hundreds of years from now, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be regarded as the greatest American that ever lived!!!
Dr. Martin Luther King's Prophetic Last Speech
Delivered April 3, 1968: The Evening Before He Was Assassinated
Dr. Martin Luther King's last public speech was delivered on a stormy night in Memphis, Tennessee and his speech was amazingly profound and prophetic. If you carefully study the words of his speech, in many ways it seemed he knew he was going to be assassinated.
There were more than 2000 people in attendance at the Mason Temple and in the photo below, taken just before Dr. King gave his final speech, we see him sitting with aid, Jesse Jackson. If you carefully examine the images below that were taken that evening in the Masonic Temple, you notice Dr. King is wearing his yellow gold Datejust. It is amazing when you realize, Dr. King gave his extremely famous "Promised Land" speech while wearing his Rolex Datejust.
It is equally profound to realize the next morning when he was murdered and martyred he was wearing his trademark yellow-gold Rolex Datejust with the Jubilee bracelet.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Help Build The Dream!!!
Martin Luther King's story of achievement is deeply inspirational, and his legacy is perhaps more powerful today than ever. Despite the fact that he was killed in cold blood, his martyrdom in some ways makes him more powerful than when he was alive, and you can help to contribute to his cause, thus making you a part of his movement to bring mankind together on many levels.
In April of 2010, I received an email from Lowell Dempsey from BuildTheDream.Org. He mentioned that the BuildTheDream.Org was getting close to raising the $120 Million they need to complete the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington D.C. and he said:
After years of fundraising, the memorial is now $14 million away from its $120 million goal. This will be more than a monument to a great humanitarian, the National Memorial will be a place for visitors from around the world to share the spirit of love, freedom, and peace. If you are able to post or tweet about this please let me know so I can share it with the team. If you have any questions please pop me an email. And if you are able to help, thank you so much.
Lowell
Lowell
The Dr. Martin Luther King memorial was built and President Obama gave a dedication speech which you can see below:
New Dr. Martin Luther King Documentary
Dr. Martin Luther King Rolex Legacy
As I have previously mentioned, I pointed out that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in my opinion, is the greatest hero in history to wear a Rolex.
In Rolex's most recent (2013 ) ad campaign, as seen below, Rolex has included Dr. King in their ad campaign. I must admit that when I saw this, it not only brought tears to my eyes but also made the tens of thousands of hours I have spent researching and chronicling Rolex history completely worthwhile.
Several months ago, I put together a Photoshop Rolex Magazine Ad Design Contest, and in it I created this mock-up. Just to be clear, this is not a Rolex ad, it is one I created, which I would love to see in magazines and on billboards. It also seems fitting that somehow that Dr. King, has the Rolex crown next to him. Something about a King needs his Rolex Crown or something like that?
He's Got The Whole World In His Hands
1964 Nobel Peace Prize Winner
I also created the Rolex ad mock-up below, which shows Dr. Martin Luther King holding his Nobel Peace Prize, and you can see his trademark yellow gold Rolex Datejust on his wrist. I used an actual Rolex advertising slogan that was popular at the time this photo was taken in 1964. I don't believe the Rolex slogan from the mid-1960s, could be any more apropos and on-point in 1964 when the photo below was taken, and in hindsight, it is even more so today.
Another supreme irony with the Rolex slogan "WHEN A MAN HAS A WORLD IN HIS HANDS YOU EXPECT TO FIND A ROLEX ON HIS WRIST", is that gospel singer Mahalia Jackson sang the song "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands", just before Dr. King gave his "I Have A Dream Speech." This is likely a coincidence, but it sure does resonate beautifully.
This next photo shows Dr. Martin Luther King in the White House Oval Office with President Kennedy just after Dr. King gave his iconic I Have A Dream Speech.
“One cannot help but be impressed with the deep fervor and the quiet dignity that characterized the thousands who have gathered in the Nation’s Capital…this Nation can properly be proud of the demonstration that has occurred here today.” - President Kennedy, Remarks following the March on Washington
The video below features the speech Robert Kennedy gave after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated. Two short months later, Robert Kennedy was assassinated.
The photo below, taken on April 8, 1968, shows Dr. Martin Luther King lying dead in his casket, while his wife Coretta Scott King, stands with their small children Yolanda, Bernice, Martin Luther King III, and Dexter. This photo was taken at the Sisters Chapel on the Spellman College campus in Atlanta, Georgia. As I have said so many time before, the truest definition of a hero is somebody who stands up for people who can't stand up for themselves, and Martin Luther King ultimately gave up everything including his life and his family because he stood up for what he believed in.
Who Killed King?
Another Patsy Takes The Fall?
James Earl Ray (1928-1998) was convicted of assassinating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and it appears he was under severe duress when he confessed. As a matter of fact, he recanted his confession only several days later. Do I believe James Earl Ray killed Dr. Martin Luther King? No. Absolutely not, and I want to make a point. 
James Earl Ray 1955 Police Mugshot
I am NOT a conspiracy theorist. I am a historian who always seeks to separate true-ends from false-ends. In other words, I always seek to separate the fact from the fiction. I believe that James Earl Ray was a 'Patsy', just like Lee Harvey Oswald before him. Don't just take my word for it, watch the video below that features Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's son, Dexter King.
If you want to learn the whole story about how and why Dr. King was killed, watch the following video:
Dr. King was a civil rights darling of the power elite who ruled Washington D.C., and thus the United States. This list of men included then U.S. President Lyndon Johnson, as well as FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover, and then former U.S. President, and soon to be U.S. President Nixon, who is pictured below with Dr. King.
In the photo below, taken on March 18, 1966, we see then U.S. President, Lyndon Johnson in a meeting in the White House Cabinet Room in Washington D.C., with Dr. Martin Luther King. Now both men have Rolex Power Tool Watches on their wrists. Lyndon Johnson is wearing a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date (not visible in photo), and Dr. King is wearing a yellow gold Rolex Datejust. They are negotiating and you can see from their facial expressions that they are running around in circles.
On April 4, 1967, one year to the date before his death on April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King gave a speech titled 'Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence", in which he strongly voiced his opinion that the United States had no business being involved in the Southeast Asian conflict, and particularly in Vietnam. Dr. King's full speech can be heard by clicking on the video below:
MLK Legacy
Dr. King's belief that the United States would one day have a black President came true, and as I write this, President Obama has only four days left as President, before the torch is passed to President-Elect Donald Trump. The world really has changed...
President Obama
Rolex Cellini
38MM White Gold: Reference 50509
A New Rolex President
In October of 2017, I published a story about former U.S. President, Barak Obama wearing a Rolex Cellini, as seen in the photo below.
When I first published this Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. article, Barak Obama had not yet to be elected as the President of The United States. It is so interesting to write this update looking back in the rear-view mirror and realizing King's prediction and dream that one day we would elect a black man as President of The United States not only came true but has passed!!! It is also ironically cool to see that President Obama, like his civil rights idol, Dr. King, also wears a Rolex!!!
In my own lifetime, I have seen so much change and progress in civil rights, and obviously, there is still tremendous room for improvement.
I will leave you with this amazingly profound quote from Stephen Marche which I believe sums up the world-view of the mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., left on the world we all share:
I will leave you with this amazingly profound quote from Stephen Marche which I believe sums up the world-view of the mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., left on the world we all share:
“Progress doesn't saunter into the world; it staggers. Grown-ups don't often change their minds about the important political and social questions of their time. Change arrives because their children are born into a whole new set of assumptions different from those of their parents.” –Stephen Marche
50Th Anniversary
Dr. King Assassination
April 4, 1968-April 4, 2018
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his casket as his wife and children say goodbye & see him for the last time
I have traditionally published this story every year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day but when I last published it on April 4, 2018 it was a little different as it was the 50th Anniversary of Dr. King being assassinated. Over the next few days I will be adding more updates to this story.April 4, 1968-April 4, 2018
So what do I think about this? I believe that in many ways Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's assassination was much like Obi Won being killed by Darth Vader. In other words, I believe when Dr. King was martyred it only made him and his cause that much stronger.
I also believe, as difficult as it may seem, it is time for America and the world to reconcile the truth about the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, President John F. Kennedy, and Bobby Kennedy. Once the truth about their assassinations is recognized the world can finally let go of the mistakes made in the past an move on. I hope that in reading or re-reading this story, you gain valuable insight and inspiration...
The video below is titled "50 Years After King: I AM 2018 Mountaintop Commemoration", and it features several of Dr. King's relatives.
Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 50th anniversary of his assassination. Earlier this year I spoke about Dr. King’s legacy of justice and peace, and his impact on uniting Americans. #MLK50 Proclamation: https://t.co/XXtPO0VX5A pic.twitter.com/SH0esMSyMT— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 4, 2018
This last video is from Stevie Wonder and it named "THE DREAM STILL LIVES", and it features many famous Rolex wearers including Michael Stratham, Naomi Campbell, Miley Cyrus, Billie Jean King, Smokey Robinson, Tiger Woods, Elton John, Cher, Jesse Jackson, Rober De Niro, Jamie Foxx, Rihanna, Tony Bennett, Lionel Ritchie, Marc Anthony, Warren Buffett, Meryl Streep, & Bruce Springsteen. There is a guy in the video with tattoos, wearing a yellow gold Rolex in the video, and I don't recognize him. He looks like a musician. If you know who he is please drop me an email to Jake@RolexMagazine.com.
