Did yall know Samuel L Jackson once took Martin Luther King Sr. hostage?

[RamsayBolton]

When Samuel L Jackson took Martin Luther King Sr hostage

Samuel L Jackson is one of the most beloved actors in the industry, but in his younger days he was quite the activist, who was willing to break the law.

faroutmagazine.co.uk

Jackson was expelled from Morehouse College in 1969 after deciding the best way to stage a protest at his disappointment in the educational institute’s curriculum and administration was to take the board members hostage and lock them down on campus, one of whom happened to be Martin Luther King Sr.

As well as his expulsion, he was charged and convicted of unlawful confinement before eventually being allowed to return and complete his studies in 1972. This came the year after Jackson had served as an usher at the funeral of Martin Luther King Jr, which didn’t affect his intentions of taking the civil rights movement leader’s father hostage when he decided drastic measures were necessary.

Recalling the situation to The Hollywood Reporter, Jackson revealed that King Sr was escorted to safety during the takeover: “Our understanding was that, once we locked them in, we were in violation of a whole bunch of laws. Dr. King’s father, who was on the board, had some chest pains,” he said. “We didn’t want to unlock the door, so we just put him on a ladder, put him out the window, and sent him down.”

Continuing, Jackson noted that “the whole thing lasted a day and a half,” but there was still another twist in the tale: “We negotiated that they wouldn’t kick out of school,” he remarked, “And then when everybody was gone for the year, they kicked us out of school.” Of course, he was eventually allowed back in, although the situation could have easily gotten out of hand and resulted in a lot more than simple exile from Morehouse.

 

[MajesticLion]

They tend to play up the son in their PR and not advertise the father's lore. Left to them you'd hardly know SLJ went to school there.

 

[cyndaquil]

They tend to play up the son in their PR and not advertise the father's lore. Left to them you'd hardly know SLJ went to school there.

Knowing about the father is important to understanding how the son became who he is

 

[The Pledge]

That MFer Sam L is the GOAT

 

[NotAnFBIagent]

Take hostages and expect not to be expelled brehs

 

[get these nets]

Dudes got caught up in that era, being followers. Seeing what students on other campuses were doing and feeling like they had to do the exact same thing. In this case, holding older Black men hostage to force denands.

 

[OsO]

Random as hell on so many levels.