Shaun King is an American writer and activist, utilizes social media platforms to champion various social justice causes, notably the Black Lives Matter movement. King, who grew up in Kentucky, earned his undergraduate degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
Bio/Wiki
Age: 44 years
Height: 6 feet 2 inches
Weight: 76 Kg
Born: 17 September 1979
Birthplace: Kentucky, United States
Spouse: Rai King (m. 2001)
Profession: American writer and activist
Nationality: American
Parents
Shaun King’s parents are Kay King (mother), and his father’s name is not known. He was raised, along with his brother, by his mother as a single parent.
Wife
Shaun and Rai King, who were sweethearts in high school, tied the knot in 2001.
Children
King has five children, with three being biological children with his wife and two being adopted. Additionally, he has provided care for foster children, as well as nieces and nephews who have lived with him.
Education
Shaun King attended Morehouse College, a private historically black men’s college in Atlanta, Georgia, where he pursued a major in history. In 1999, he was elected president of the student government association. During his education, King had to take a medical leave, and upon his return, he was honored as an Oprah Winfrey Scholar by Morehouse. In 2018, he earned a master’s degree in history from Arizona State University.
After completing his education, King worked as a high school civics teacher for approximately a year. Following that, he joined Atlanta’s juvenile justice system.
Career
Early Career
After leaving teaching, Shaun King transitioned to work as a pastor at Total Grace Christian Center in DeKalb County, Georgia. His inspiration to become a pastor stemmed from his high school years when, recovering from injuries after an assault, he was regularly visited by his best friend’s father, who served as a pastor. Reflecting on his own experiences growing up without a father figure, King expressed a deep impact from this pastor’s visits, stating, “I just found myself so impacted by this man coming to visit me that I wanted to be like him.”
In 2008, King went on to establish a church in Atlanta named “Courageous Church.” Utilizing social media, particularly as the “Facebook Pastor,” he employed platforms like Facebook to attract new members. However, in 2012, King resigned from Courageous Church, citing personal stress and disillusionment.
Career in Journalism
Shaun King, a biracial individual, has extensively written about his personal experiences and contributed to discussions surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement, particularly in the aftermath of the Michael Brown shooting. In one article, King analyzed the crime scene of the Brown case, contending that the evidence suggested Officer Darren Wilson’s life was not in danger during the shooting.
In September 2014, King became a contributing blogger for the politically-liberal website, the Daily Kos. He later joined the New York Daily News as a senior justice writer on October 2, 2015, focusing on social justice, police brutality, and race relations. In 2016, King joined The Young Turks as a political commentator, leaving the Daily News.
In 2019, King launched The North Star, a crowdfunded website described as an online revival of the anti-slavery newspaper of the same name.
The site, featuring articles, podcast episodes, and videos, centers on social justice issues, including police brutality and mass incarceration. However, there were reported discrepancies between the promised features and what was delivered. King acknowledged being “overzealous” with the project and faced accusations of being a “liar & a fraud.” Former employees described him as a poor fiscal manager and criticized his management style.
Career in Activism
In August 2015, Shaun King initiated Justice Together, an organization aimed at identifying instances of police brutality and advocating for change by engaging with local politicians. Surprisingly, King unilaterally disbanded the organization in the fall of 2016, leaving many members surprised. In September 2016, he proposed an Injustice Boycott for December of that year.
In 2018, King co-founded Real Justice PAC, a political action committee dedicated to supporting the election of prosecutors who endorse criminal justice reform at the county and city levels.
Political Career
After the 2016 election, Shaun King disaffiliated from the Democratic Party, citing perceived corruption and a lack of neutrality during the 2016 primaries. In 2018, he expressed dissatisfaction with Kamala Harris and stated that he did not plan to support her or Joe Biden in the 2020 Democratic primaries due to their positions on criminal justice. However, he later revised his stance, acknowledging Harris’s changed position and expressing pride in her nomination as Vice President.
Shaun King, Net Worth
Shaun King’s net worth is estimated to be around $3 million.
Instagram Bans Anti-Racism Activist Shaun King Due to Pro-Palestine Content
Popular American writer and activist Shaun King reported on Monday that Instagram had banned his account due to his pro-Palestine content. King, an anti-racism activist with over six million followers on his deleted social media account, stated that Meta, the owner of Instagram, removed his account because he was advocating for the rights and dignity of Palestinians. King accused Meta of obstructing those who speak out for human rights in Palestine.
This incident adds to the ongoing criticism of Meta for removing pro-Palestinian content and accounts from its platforms. King had shared numerous pro-Palestine posts, including videos, images, and infographics, highlighting the destruction in Gaza and calling for an end to Israel’s military actions in the region. As of now, Meta has not issued a statement on the matter.
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