Celebrity Chart: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Birth info: January 15, 1929 at 12 noon in Atlanta, GA
Passed:  April 4, 1968 in Memphis, TN at the age of 39

Here is a brief look at a celebrity’s Human Design chart, focused mainly on that person’s defined channels. Channels are just one of many aspects and layers of a chart. Our purpose here is just to give you a quick glimpse, through Human Design, into this person’s energy dynamics. This is not a full review of a chart. (Article co-written with Karen Flaherty)

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is the most famous civil rights leader of the 20^th century. As a Manifesting Generator, he had the sustainable energy to make things happen and the voice to be heard. It was his potent combination of charisma, passion and ideas that won him many supporters and a substantial number of detractors. He created beautifully written speeches and delivered sermons with his resonant voice. People were mesmerized by his articulate summation of the facts and the inspiring vision he had for a future of racial equality.

A number of factors in his chart came together to embolden this young man to take on the risks and challenges that he did.

In addition to his defined channels described below, the Gate 59 aided in making him a creative and attractive figure, the Gate 22 added charm to his presence, Gate 19 made him personally sensitive and also sensitive to the plight of others, the Gate 11 provided him with an unending supply of ideas for the tasks that lay ahead, and the Gate 45 gave him an almost regal bearing and innate leadership qualities. The Gates 37 (Harmony) and 52 (Stillness) may have contributed to his unflinching belief in “fighting” for civil rights in the most peaceful ways possible.

The major themes in Dr. King’s life show up in his defined channels – Charisma, Struggle, Preservation, and Acceptance.

1. The 34-20 is the Channel of Charisma. With attributes for multi-tasking and making his voice heard, Dr. King used his inherent power and charisma to accomplish much in his short life. That sustainable energy kept him going when the frequent travel, civil rights marches and speeches day after day would have exhausted many others.
2. The 28-38 is the Channel of Struggle. His struggles as a child of the South sparked a peaceful revolution. He struggled throughout his life with prejudice but also learned which of the battles of the “war” were the ones worth fighting for. He usually chose carefully and, as a result, prevailed.
3. The 50-27 is the Channel of Preservation. This channel helped Dr. King to preserve the values he grew up with, while changing the values of the country in small increments. His sense of personal responsibility was something that he exemplified and instilled in all of his followers.
4. The 17-62 is the Channel of Acceptance. Is the Channel of Acceptance really about Acceptance? Or is it about details and opinions — knowing the details of everything in your world and then knowing how to apply them for the greater good? This is a collective channel – one that applies its effect to the world. In this regard, Dr. King was able to lead a detailed and all-encompassing nationwide movement that continued well after his assassination.

Sadly, he was killed before the Gate 8 came into full force in his chart (around age 40) that would have further fueled his drive to make a big contribution to the world. But he was certainly expressing that energy while he lived, and it’s inspiring to think about how much more he might have accomplished if he’d had a full life span.

Many of the attributes that made Dr. King a charismatic leader show up in his Human Design chart. However, the effect that he had on so many lives can’t really be seen in a chart, and yet can be imagined as a potential for each one of us.