Karen L King

Karen L. King, born April 24, 1966, is an American journalist, talk show host, publisher, and author. Raised in East Orange, New Jersey, she pursued higher education at Drew University, earning a degree in English literature. Her career has spanned various media and academic roles, including teaching journalism at New York University and holding a position at Hunter College. King also hosted a morning radio talk show in New York City.

Beyond her media presence, King established Karen Hunter Publishing, an imprint that has released several books. As a co-author, she has contributed to numerous New York Times bestsellers, collaborating with a diverse range of public figures. Her public commentary has addressed social and political issues, including advocating for the removal of the Confederate flag and expressing opinions on political candidates. She currently resides in South Orange, New Jersey.

Karen L. King began her journalism career at the New York Daily News, where she was the paper's first African-American female news columnist. Her tenure there, starting in 1988, included roles as a sports writer, feature writer, and business reporter. During her time on the editorial board, she was part of teams that received prestigious awards, including the Pulitzer Prize and the Polk Award. In 2007, King launched her own publishing imprint, Karen Hunter Publishing, which has released titles such as 'Why Black Men Love White Women' and 'Recipes for a Good Life' with Patti LaBelle. She has co-authored five New York Times bestsellers with notable figures like Queen Latifah and Al Sharpton.

King is widely recognized as the host of 'The Karen Hunter Show' on SiriusXM Urban View. Prior to this, she hosted a morning radio talk show in New York City for three years. Her academic career includes teaching journalism at New York University between 1996 and 1998. She later became an Assistant Visiting Professor in the Department of Film and Media Studies at Hunter College, where she currently holds the title of Distinguished Lecturer. Her role at Hunter College began in 2002.

Karen L. King has been vocal on various social and political matters. In 2015, she initiated a successful petition on MoveOn.org calling for the removal of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina State House following a tragic event, which garnered significant public support and contributed to the flag's eventual removal. She has also made public statements regarding political figures and social issues, including calling for a boycott of 'Celebrity Apprentice' in response to comments made by Donald Trump and offering commentary on Republican presidential candidates. She has also participated in public discussions, such as a segment on CNN discussing atheism.

“If they [atheists] had Hallmark Cards, maybe they wouldn't feel so left out. We have Christmas cards. We have Kwanzaa cards now. Maybe they need to get some atheist cards and get that whole ball rolling so more people can get involved with what they're doing. I think they need to shut up and let people do what they do.”

“So many of us were angered and outraged by Trump’s comments and I wanted to let us know that we have power. We can do something besides grumble and complain.”

“[M]aybe [Mitt Romney's] not running for the presidency of the United States, maybe he's running for the presidency of 'Caucasia-stan' or some place that doesn't have anyone of color in it.”