# Is Shaun King (Daily Kos writer & Black Lives Matter activist) really white? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 19, 2015, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271 "2015-08-19T16:39:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/41 "2015-08-20T06:55:27Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Factual correction: Morehouse College says that it, “[does not grant admissions or scholarships based on race.](https://twitter.com/Morehouse/status/634074259271352320)”. Breitbart apparently reported otherwise, FTR. Not necessary, in light of the facts. Factual nuance: Breitbart claims that King was the recipient of a [When you empower a black man, you light up the world](http://www.morehouse.edu/oprah/) Oprah Scholarship. It’s not clear to me that this scholarship is granted by Morehouse, so it’s possible that Morehouse’s statement does not include the Oprah Scholarship. In other words, Morehouse may truthfully say that it does not grant scholarships based on race while at the same time the Oprah Scholarship may be given to Morehouse students, by the Oprah Foundation or whatever entity administers them. It’s also possible that someone may take the position that the Oprah Scholarships are not race-based. I think, based on the recipients and the mission statement, that this claim is untenable. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/42 "2015-08-20T07:37:51Z")
It’s being picked up by the MSM now, although none is saying definitively what SK’s racial background is. But… I’m sure that now the truth will out. I wouldn’t put much faith in the fact that he was listed as white on the police record of his assault. It appears that the officer who filled out the form just guessed at what his race was. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/43 "2015-08-20T07:41:44Z")
Quoted in full: > [@Bricker](#): > > Factual nuance: Breitbart claims that King was the recipient of a [When you empower a black man, you light up the world](http://www.morehouse.edu/oprah/) Oprah Scholarship. It’s not clear to me that this scholarship is granted by Morehouse, so it’s possible that Morehouse’s statement does not include the Oprah Scholarship. In other words, Morehouse may truthfully say that it does not grant scholarships based on race while at the same time the Oprah Scholarship may be given to Morehouse students, by the Oprah Foundation or whatever entity administers them. > > It’s also possible that someone may take the position that the Oprah Scholarships are not race-based. I think, based on the recipients and the mission statement, that this claim is untenable. Fair elaboration. ## I find it plausible that Oprah scholarships are made through Morehouse College: that would not be unusual. If find Morehouse’s stated policy plausible. I do not find an explicit mission statement at your link. I find it plausible that Oprah may have said something like, “When you empower a black man, you light up the world”, while handing out a scholarship that is consistent with Morehouse’s policies. I agree that this is not the only plausible scenario. I have not as yet located anything damning about Shaun King. I would not be shocked if something materializes. I take a dubious view of Ms. Dolezal, as she was carrying out a deception, even if she is extended sympathy with regards to motives. Which I don’t think is mandated. Link: 2 pairs of twins of differing races, one somewhat more convincing. From the Daily Mail: > **[Mixed-race boys have to prove to classmates they are twins](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2980454/Twin-boys-born-looking-completely-different-born-different-days-midnight.html)** > > Believe it or not Jayden and Xavier Boughey are actually twins.The handsome 11-year-old boys from Auckland, New Zealand, were born with contrasting skin tones - one white and one dark. Better example, from the Guardian: > **[Black and white twins](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/sep/24/twins-black-white)** > > James and Daniel are twins. What sets them apart is that one is white and one is black – and the differences don't end there, as Joanna Moorhead discovers And another example: [http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/\_news/2008/07/17/4380054-black-and-white-twins-brothers-from-the-same-mother?lite](http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/_news/2008/07/17/4380054-black-and-white-twins-brothers-from-the-same-mother?lite) I find it plausible that siblings could be of different races in a meaningful way if they have different complexions. ---
**Author:** ![camille](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@camille](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/camille)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/44 "2015-08-20T08:04:42Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > The two brothers in the story are [both white (pics in the link)](http://www.ijreview.com/2015/08/396602-key-figure-blacklivesmatter-movement-accused-male-rachel-dolezal/). **One brother also says that the pic of the father in the link is correct.** There’s nothing about this in your cite. Where did you get that info? In fact, it only says they are “allegedly” his brothers. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > I wouldn’t put much faith in the fact that he was listed as white on the police record of his assault. It appears that the officer who filled out the form just guessed at what his race was. [Yes, in the NY Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/20/us/activist-shaun-king-denies-claims-he-lied-about-race-and-assault.html): In the report, dated March 1, 1995, Mr. King’s race is marked as white, his injuries are described as minor, and only one other student is identified as being involved. Keith Broughton, the investigating detective, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday that he had not asked Mr. King about his race but filled out the form based on the observation of the student’s light skin and white mother. He said he interviewed six witnesses put forth by the school’s principal, including a teacher who broke up the fight. They all described it as a one-on-one altercation, he said. So, the detective did just guess his race. But it also says it was a one-on-one, so that part is not how King related it. ---
**Author:** ![Alkash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Alkash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alkash)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/45 "2015-08-20T08:54:07Z")
Rachel Dolezal is black. Bruce Jenner is a woman. Elizabeth Warren is native American. War is peace. Slavery is freedom. Adding Shaun King to the list won’t hurt anyone. ---
**Author:** ![camille](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@camille](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/camille)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/46 "2015-08-20T08:57:08Z")
You know what, even though the evidence is technically inconclusive, I think the allegations are true, and he is fabricating his background, at least in some ways. He’s only hurting the BLM movement by not coming forward with something to refute the claims, and so far he’s avoided direct answers. Why? Why not show up the conservative bloggers and discredit them, if he could? I hope I’m wrong, but it doesn’t look good. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/47 "2015-08-20T09:19:52Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > So what do you want the guy to say? His mom was raped or had an affair with a black man? Would that satisfy the hoards who are only interested in this because the other shit the right was trying to say about him didn’t stick He has a right to protect his family from this kind of slander. Like really now. The guy was beaten within an inch of his life as a teenager, but the right didn’t “believe” him because they’d rather believe some shit police report that wasn’t truthful. Eyewitnesses including a teacher saw him being beat by a dozen people. The shit-ass police report said one and minor injuries, when the truth was he was hospitalized. The police report listed him as white. You wonder why? They didn’t want any “race” beating in their lilly white town. It would have made headlines that no one wanted. Then King needs to grow some balls. King in the past has wrongly accused a libertarian blogger of being a paedophile. King may have felt justified doing this as the blogger he went after, Charles Johnson, had wrongly accused Michael Brown of being arrested for 2nd degree murder. However, you dont accuse someone of being a paedophile unless you yourself are willing to have hardball tactics used against you. When you try to smear someone unfairly dont be surprised if others start doing some smearing themselves. And he doesn’t have a leg to stand-on when complaining this is all “off limts”. I have no idea what King’s racial background he is. But to say we should take his word for it is not a good enough answer. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/48 "2015-08-20T12:49:36Z")
> [@Alkash](#): > > Rachel Dolezal is black. > Bruce Jenner is a woman. > Elizabeth Warren is native American. > War is peace. > Slavery is freedom. > > Adding Shaun King to the list won’t hurt anyone. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/49 "2015-08-20T12:55:27Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Man, you’ve got an answer for everything. Can you tell us what the meaning of life is? Well… I could, but you won’t like it… 1. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/50 "2015-08-20T13:02:46Z")
Is this a joke? The dude in those pictures has clear congoid features that would be really unlikely to be replicated through caucasian ancestors. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/51 "2015-08-20T13:06:46Z")
> [@Alkash](#): > > Rachel Dolezal is black. > Bruce Jenner is a woman. > Elizabeth Warren is native American. > War is peace. > Slavery is freedom. > > Adding Shaun King to the list won’t hurt anyone. You forget, “Ignorance is Knowledge” ---
**Author:** ![Gent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gent)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/52 "2015-08-20T13:06:50Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > What a wonderfully original post. > > It’s extremely well thought out, not remotely derivative and doesn’t contain a single right-wing cliche. > > Congratulations! Math, logic and reason: What is, things liberals hate. ---
**Author:** ![Gent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gent)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/53 "2015-08-20T13:15:45Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Factual correction: Morehouse College says that it, “[does not grant admissions or scholarships based on race.](https://twitter.com/Morehouse/status/634074259271352320)”. Breitbart apparently reported otherwise, FTR. Not necessary, in light of the facts. > In general, this seems to me to be a nothingburger, unless it comes out that he dyes his skin or pretends to be blacker-than-thou. But if he actually grew up black or bi-racial, and he looks that way, then I would say he is. Race after all is more a sociological thing than a hereditary one, especially in borderline cases. > > Vox article: [The Shaun King controversy, explained | Vox](http://www.vox.com/2015/8/19/9180389/the-shaun-king-controversy-explained) You’ve gotta do some better research If you wish to remain the authority on facts. Breitbart’s report on the scholarship Mr. King received came from King’s own words. He thanked Oprah for the scholarship to Morehouse, for which a bevy of minorities were given. If there’s an indiscrepancy, it just serves as more proof of Mr. King’s deceptive ways. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/54 "2015-08-20T13:49:09Z")
This is the worst GD thread ever. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/55 "2015-08-20T14:09:15Z")
> [@camille](#): > > So, the detective did just guess his race. But it also says it was a one-on-one, so that part is not how King related it. Which would be irrelevant anyway. A substantial percentage of bi-racial people have changed their racial identification over time, or identify one way or another in different contexts. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/56 "2015-08-20T14:22:29Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Is this a joke? The dude in those pictures has clear congoid features that would be really unlikely to be replicated through caucasian ancestors. Oh, I guess none of us zeroed in on the “congoid” features. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/57 "2015-08-20T14:30:15Z")
Here is Shaun’s High School photo: [http://www.eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/king-sophomore-in-high-school.jpg](http://www.eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/king-sophomore-in-high-school.jpg) Anyone who thinks that’s a white guy should seek the services of an optometrist. Seriously, wtf? ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/58 "2015-08-20T14:42:36Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > Here is Shaun’s High School photo: > > [http://www.eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/king-sophomore-in-high-school.jpg](http://www.eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/king-sophomore-in-high-school.jpg) > > Anyone who thinks that’s a white guy should seek the services of an optometrist. Seriously, wtf? Looking at him with his family, I believe it’s rather obvious as well. [Happy Birthday Shaun | Better Half](https://hisbetterhalf.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/happy-birthday-shaun/) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/59 "2015-08-20T14:47:46Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I wouldn’t put much faith in the fact that he was listed as white on the police record of his assault. I’m Indian, and while that may not be obvious it’s obvious I’m not “white”. Orange County Public Schools listed me as white. USCIS thinks I’m white. Only my employer and university don’t think I’m white, and that’s only because I checked “Asian/Pacific Islander”. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271/60 "2015-08-20T14:50:30Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I should have said: He Looks _like he could be_ mixed race to me. Me too. He looks like the actor who played Michael Schofeild in Prison Break and he’s Bi-racial. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-shaun-king-daily-kos-writer-black-lives-matter-activist-really-white/728271.md?page=4)