History of Shaun King in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: January 4, 2025

Shaun King, also known as Talcum X, is a prominent American civil rights activist and writer. He rose to prominence through his extensive use of social media, particularly Twitter, to advocate for social justice causes, most notably the Black Lives Matter movement. King gained recognition for his real-time reporting and commentary on police brutality and racial inequality, often leveraging social media to organize protests and raise awareness about systemic issues. While lauded by many for his activism, King has also been the subject of controversy and criticism regarding his fundraising practices and racial identity.

September 17, 1979: Birth of Shaun King

Shaun King was born on September 17, 1979.

1999: Elected Student Government President

Shaun King was elected president of the student government association at Morehouse College in 1999.

2008: Founds Courageous Church

In 2008, Shaun King founded the Courageous Church in Atlanta.

2008: Begins Pastoral Career

Shaun King founded Courageous Church in Atlanta in 2008 and began working as a pastor.

March 2010: Shaun King's Haiti Relief Efforts and TwitChange Launch

In March 2010, Shaun King founded aHomeinHaiti.org and raised $1.5 million for Haitian earthquake relief. This led him to create TwitChange, a charity auction platform that won a Mashable award.

2011: Seven Summits Fundraising Attempt

In 2011, King raised funds with the stated goal of climbing the Seven Summits, but abandoned the project after only a few days of training.

January 2012: HopeMob Founding and Kickstarter Campaign

In January 2012, Shaun King and Chad Kellough founded HopeMob, a charity platform. They launched a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised around $125,000 to build the platform.

2012: Resigns from Courageous Church

Shaun King resigned from his position at Courageous Church in 2012.

September 2014: Becomes Daily Kos Contributor

Shaun King became a contributing blogger for the Daily Kos in September 2014.

2014: Fundraising for Tamir Rice Family

In 2014, following the death of Tamir Rice, King raised $60,000 for the Rice family.

May 2015: Controversy Surrounding Tamir Rice Fundraiser

In May 2015, it emerged that the Rice family had not received any of the funds raised by King. The money was held by the court.

August 2015: Launches Justice Together

Shaun King launched the organization Justice Together in August 2015.

October 2, 2015: Joins New York Daily News

Shaun King joined the New York Daily News as a senior justice writer on October 2, 2015.

2015: King Reveals Paternity Question

In 2015, Shaun King publicly questioned the paternity listed on his birth certificate.

2015: Conflicting Accounts of High School Assault

In 2015, conflicting accounts emerged regarding a physical altercation King was involved in during high school. King maintained it was a racially motivated attack, while some reports suggested it was a fight between King and another student.

September 2016: Proposes Injustice Boycott

Shaun King proposed an Injustice Boycott in September 2016.

December 28, 2016: Joins The Young Turks

Shaun King was hired as a political commentator for The Young Turks on December 28, 2016.

August 12, 2017: Assault on DeAndre Harris

DeAndre Harris was assaulted during the Unite the Right rally on August 12, 2017.

October 11, 2017: King's Social Media Campaign Leads to Arrests

On October 11, 2017, a social media campaign led by Shaun King resulted in the identification and arrest of three men involved in the August 12, 2017 assault of DeAndre Harris.

May 20, 2018: Shaun King Accuses Texas State Trooper of Sexual Assault

On May 20, 2018, Shaun King publicly accused a Texas state trooper of sexually assaulting Sherita Dixon-Cole, based on her account and that of her family. The accusation quickly went viral, leading to significant harassment and threats against the trooper.

December 30, 2018: Jazmine Barnes Shooting and Subsequent Involvement of Shaun King

On December 30, 2018, seven-year-old Jazmine Barnes was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting in Houston. King and S. Lee Merritt offered a reward for information leading to an arrest, which increased thanks to donations. King provided a tip that helped lead to a suspect.

2018: Co-founds Real Justice PAC and Launches The North Star

In 2018, Shaun King co-founded the Real Justice PAC and launched The North Star website.

2018: Co-founds Real Justice PAC

Shaun King co-founded the Real Justice PAC in 2018.

2018: Receives Master's Degree

Shaun King earned a master's degree in history from Arizona State University in 2018.

January 15, 2019: King Pursues Legal Action Against Critics

On January 15, 2019, King announced he was pursuing legal action against activists questioning his fundraising practices, issuing cease-and-desist letters. This move was characterized as an attempt to silence critics.

July 2019: Misidentification in Jazmine Barnes Case and Aftermath

In July 2019, the aftermath of King's misidentification of a man involved in the Jazmine Barnes shooting resurfaced when the wrongly accused man, Robert Paul Cantrell, committed suicide while in jail on unrelated charges. Cantrell had reportedly been concerned about ongoing threats his family received after the false accusation.

September 12, 2019: DeRay Mckesson Raises Concerns about King's Fundraising

On September 12, 2019, activist DeRay Mckesson published an article detailing concerns about King's fundraising practices, including discrepancies in reported amounts and King's income from HopeMob.

2019: Launches The North Star

Shaun King launched the crowdfunded website The North Star in 2019.

June 2020: Call for Removal of White Jesus Depictions

In June 2020, King called for the removal of depictions of a white Jesus, referring to them as a "form of white supremacy." This statement sparked widespread condemnation.

2020: Grassroots Law Project Founding and Subsequent Scrutiny

In 2020, King and Lee Merritt founded the Grassroots Law Project, which raised over $6.5 million in its first year. The organization later faced scrutiny over its spending, including high compensation for King and others, and the inactivity of its Truth and Reconciliation Commissions.

2020: Founds Grassroots Law Project

Shaun King founded the non-profit group Grassroots Law Project in 2020.

2022: Guard Dog Purchase Controversy

In 2022, King faced criticism for using PAC money to purchase a $40,000 guard dog, which he later returned. This drew public criticism from Tamir Rice's mother.