Jeffery Shaun King, known as Shaun King, is an American writer and activist who uses social media to advocate for social justice, particularly the Black Lives Matter movement.
He has founded various organizations and online campaigns and contributed to several publications as a writer. However, he has faced criticism for alleged fiscal mismanagement, including raising funds that don’t reach their intended recipients.
In 2023, he was involved in controversy after claiming to have worked with Hamas and Qatar to secure the release of Israeli hostages. Still, the families of the hostages disputed his involvement.
In this article, we’ll discuss Shaun King’s net worth, professional and personal life, and all the details you want. Join me as we explore this personality’s life.
Quick Information
| Full Name | Durk Derrick Banks |
| Date of Birth | September 17, 1979 |
| Place of Birth | Franklin County, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Age | 45 years old (as of 2024) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Writer, Civic rights activist, and entrepreneur |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse Name | Rai King |
| Net Worth | $1 Million |
Early Life & Education
Shaun King was born on September 17, 1979, in Franklin County, Kentucky, U.S., and was raised in Versailles, Kentucky. As of 2024, he is now 45 years old. He is of American nationality.
Jeffery Shaun King, born in Franklin, Kentucky, was raised in Versailles, Kentucky. His birth certificate names Jeffery Wayne King as his father, but he said that his mother told him his actual biological father is a light-skinned black man.
Raised by his mother, Naomi Kay (Fleming) King, he attended Huntertown Elementary School and Woodford County High School.
King experienced racism and hate crimes while growing up in Kentucky. He survived an attempted vehicular assault on school property and was later seriously injured in an attack he characterized as racially motivated.
In 2015, the media questioned King’s account of the assault, characterizing the fight between King and another boy over a girl, where King assisted with minor injuries. Witnesses, including a teacher and fellow students, backed King’s account on Facebook.
King studied history at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He was elected student government president in 1999 and became an Oprah Winfrey Scholar after returning from a medical leave.
In 2018, King completed a master’s degree in history at Arizona State University.
Career
After teaching and working in Atlanta’s juvenile justice system, King became a pastor at Total Grace Christian Center in DeKalb County, Georgia.
He was inspired to become a pastor in high school and later founded “Courageous Church” in Atlanta, using social media to attract new members. However, he resigned from the church in 2012 due to personal stress and disillusionment.
Journalism Career
Shaun King has written extensively about his experiences as a biracial person and the Black Lives Matter movement, which gained prominence after the shooting of Michael Brown.
In one article, he analyzed the Brown crime scene and claimed that the evidence indicated that during the shooting, Officer Darren Wilson’s life was not in danger. In September 2014, King became a contributing blogger for the politically liberal website Daily Kos.
In 2019, Shaun King launched The North Star, a crowdfunded website focusing on social justice issues. However, according to The Daily Beast, it did not deliver all the promised features.
Former colleagues accused King of being a poor manager and falsely claiming health care benefits. Historian Keisha Blain also accused King of being “a liar & a fraud.”
Activism and controversies
In 2015, King launched Justice Together, an organization to address police brutality. He disbanded the organization in 2016 and proposed an Injustice Boycott. In 2018, King co-founded Real Justice PAC to elect prosecutors supporting criminal justice reform.
On October 11, 2017, an article in The Washington Post credited King with leading a successful social media campaign that resulted in the identification & arrest of three men who are responsible for the assault on Deandre Harris during the Unite the Right rally on August 12, 2017. Two men were convicted, and two others are awaiting trial.
On May 20, 2018, Shaun King accused a Texas state trooper of sexually attacking Sherita Dixon-Cole based on her statements. King’s social media posts identifying the trooper went viral, leading to harassment and threats.
Bodycam footage released on May 22 exonerated the trooper. Merritt apologized for the false accusation. King deleted his social media posts afterward.
Seven years old Jazmine Barnes was killed in a drive-by shooting in Houston. Shaun King and S. Lee Merritt offered a $60,000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s arrest.
Police credited King with providing a tip that helped lead them to suspect Eric Black Jr., who later admitted his involvement.
On Twitter, Shaun King initially posted the mugshot of a white male, Robert Paul Cantrell, whom he identified as involved in the shooting.
King deleted the tweet after police said the man was not involved with the crime, but not before the man had received threats on social media.
In late July 2019, Cantrell committed suicide in his jail cell while being held on separate robbery and evasion charges. As a result of his false involvement in Jazmine Barnes’ murder, he expressed concerns to his lawyer about his family’s continued death threats.
King has been blamed of raising funds for unclear purposes or overpromising. Additionally, he has been accused of fiscal mismanagement, inattention to his projects, and “radical incompetence.”
In addition, as a civil rights activist, King uses his social media presence to highlight racial disparities and has founded organizations like Real Justice PAC to fight social injustices.
He has also initiated various online campaigns and achieved notable accomplishments, including being awarded the Oprah scholarship, founding the nonprofit A Home for Haiti, and serving as a motivational speaker in Atlanta’s juvenile justice system.
One of his recent achievements is his autobiography, Lemons, and Stones, which is available for preorder. Proceeds from sales will be used to launch The North Star Publishing, an independent publishing arm aiming to tell unique, untold stories.
Net Worth
According to a source, “hotnewhiphop,” Shaun King’s net worth is estimated to be $1 million as of 2024, which he earned through his successful career. His continuous hard work and dedication may increase his net worth in the future.
Personal Life
King is married and has five children. Three of his children were conceived with his wife, and two were adopted. He has also had foster children, nieces, and nephews living with him.
In March 2024, on the eve of Ramadan, King and his wife, Rai King, formally converted to Islam from Christianity in the presence of Palestinian-American Imam Omar Suleiman.
