Shaun King facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shaun King
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King in 2023
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| Born |
Jeffery Shaun King
September 17, 1979 |
| Alma mater | Morehouse College (BA) Arizona State University (MA) |
| Occupation |
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| Political party | Independent (2016–present) Democratic (until 2016) |
| Movement | Black Lives Matter |
| Spouse(s) |
Rai King
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 5 |
Jeffery Shaun King (born September 17, 1979) is an American writer and activist. He is known for his work on social justice issues.
As a writer, King has shared his thoughts with publications like Daily Kos and New York Daily News. He also helped start the Real Justice PAC in 2018. In 2019, he launched a website called The North Star. In 2020, he co-founded the non-profit Grassroots Law Project.
Shaun King has sometimes faced questions about how money was managed in some of his projects. There have also been discussions about the progress of the Grassroots Law Project's main goals.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jeffery Shaun King was born in Franklin, Kentucky. He grew up in Versailles, Kentucky. His mother, Naomi Kay (Fleming) King, raised him and his brother. She was a single parent by the time King was in second grade. He went to Huntertown Elementary School and Woodford County High School.
King has shared stories about facing racism when he was young. He recalled an incident where he was hurt in a fight. He said this event caused him to miss some high school due to injuries. Other accounts from police reports described the fight differently. However, some of King's family and former teachers supported his version of events.
College Studies
King attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. This is a private, historically black college for men. He studied history there. In 1999, he was chosen as the president of the student government. He later received an Oprah Winfrey Scholarship from Morehouse. In 2018, King earned a master's degree in history from Arizona State University.
Career Path
After college, King worked as a high school civics teacher for about a year. He then worked in Atlanta's system for young people who had committed crimes. Later, King became a pastor at Total Grace Christian Center in DeKalb County, Georgia.
King shared that he was inspired to become a pastor in high school. A pastor visited him often while he was recovering from injuries. In 2008, King started a church in Atlanta called "Courageous Church." He used social media to connect with new members. He was sometimes called the "Facebook Pastor." In 2012, King left Courageous Church due to personal stress.
Writing and Commentary
King has written a lot about being a biracial person. He has also written about the Black Lives Matter movement. This movement became well-known after the shooting of Michael Brown. Shaun wrote an article about the Michael Brown case.
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In September 2014, King started writing for the website Daily Kos. On October 2, 2015, he joined the New York Daily News. There, he wrote about social justice, police brutality, and race relations. In December 2016, Cenk Uygur announced that King would be a political commentator for The Young Turks. King left the Daily News in 2016.
In 2019, King launched The North Star, a website funded by donations. He said it was a new version of the historic anti-slavery newspaper. The site offers articles, podcasts, and videos for a subscription fee. It focuses on social justice topics like police brutality. Some reports said the site did not deliver all the features promised during fundraising. King admitted he might have been too ambitious with his plans.
Activism for Change
In August 2015, King started Justice Together. This group aimed to find cases of police brutality and encourage local politicians to make changes. He later ended the organization in 2016. In September 2016, King suggested an "Injustice Boycott" for December of that year.
In 2017, King was recognized for leading a social media campaign. This campaign helped identify and arrest men involved in an assault during the Unite the Right rally. Several men were arrested, and some were convicted.
In 2018, King co-founded Real Justice PAC. This group helps elect prosecutors who support criminal justice reform. These are changes to how the justice system works.
Political Views
King left the Democratic Party after the 2016 election. He felt there were issues with fairness during the 2016 primaries. In 2018, Shaun King expressed concerns about Kamala Harris and Joe Biden for the 2020 Democratic primaries. However, he later changed his view. He tweeted that he was proud to see a talented Black woman chosen as a Vice Presidential nominee.
Personal Life
Shaun King is married to Rai King. They have five children, including two who were adopted. They have also had foster children, nieces, and nephews live with them. In March 2024, King and his wife converted to Islam from Christianity. This happened before Ramadan, with Palestinian-American imam Omar Suleiman.
