Activist Shaun King denies claims he 'faked' his race

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Activist Shaun King took to Twitter Wednesday to denounce conservative bloggers who claimed that he had faked his race and had lied about the story of his racially motivated assault.

The racial justice advocate, who says his mother is white and his father is black, has said that he was the victim of what he described as a brutal beating by a white mob. However, conservative bloggers have pointed to a police report that not only identified King as white but also noted that only one other student was identified as being involved in the incident and that King’s injuries were described as being minor.

Keith Broughton, the investigating detective, told the New York Times via telephone on Wednesday that he had not actually asked King about his race but has noted that he was white based on his lighter skin.

Wednesday morning, one of King’s former classmates, Shea Gold, posted to Facebook about the incident in question, saying he was one of the few witnesses.

Nathanael Carter, a former high school teacher of King’s, also added his account:

This incident did occur. I was one of the teachers getting students to clear the hallway and get to class. Shaun King was also one of my students at that time. He did spend time in the hospital if I remember correctly.

Following up on Gold’s post, King shared his own.

The activist also took to his Twitter account to address the rumors about his race. In a series of numbered tweets that reach up to 36, King defended himself and expressed his feelings.

https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/634050115653734400

https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/634050339826741248

Conservative bloggers have also claimed King mislead Oprah Winfrey and Morehouse College, by accepting scholarships. King’s alma mater, Morehouse College tweeted in regards to the situation, simply saying they have no comment.