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Before We Knew His Name: Who Was Rodney King?

Exploring Rodney King’s life before he became a public figure—and how things changed after March 3, 1991.

Joel Anderson

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Rodney King didn’t go out for a drive on the night of March 3, 1991, looking to become a household name. Before the video of his beating went national, he was virtually unknown beyond his family and friends, who called him by his middle name Glen. He was, as the L.A. Times described him, “an essentially ordinary man caught in an extraordinary furor”. He became a public figure because the worst moment of his life had been caught on tape.

Reporters from all over the country hounded him. People in Australia offered to send him money. Even President George H. W. Bush weighed in. Rodney King had become, overnight, one of the most famous men in America. And he was totally overwhelmed by his time in the spotlight.

As I worked on this project, I realized that, after all these years, I still didn’t know much about Rodney King. During this season of Slow Burn, we are exploring the people and events behind the biggest civil disturbance in American history. On the fourth episode of the season, we tell King’s story. Who was Rodney King before he became a national figure? How did he come to understand what happened to him? Below you’ll find some of the links that helped me paint a picture of King’s life in the days and months after the beating. —Joel Anderson

The Beating of Rodney King in 1991 [Graphic Content]

Joel Anderson: “As King began to grapple with his new fame, he was still dealing with significant injuries. A day after video of King’s beating aired on local TV, the King family connected with a lawyer named Steve Lerman. Lerman went to visit King in jail that same day. He told me he was startled by the extent of King’s injuries. ‘His face was a mass of bruises, black and blue. He was a mess.’ Lerman started snapping photos to document what police had done to King, and some of those photos can be seen at this link.”

The Man Swept Up in the Furor: Friends, Family Say King Was Sometimes Lost but Never Violent

JA: “This L.A. Times story was one of the first attempts to cover who King was before the beating. The reporters spoke with relatives, neighbors, teachers, coworkers, and even a man King once robbed. (The man said he did not believe King had the heart to hurt him. ‘I hit him first,’ he said. ‘If I didn’t hit him, he wouldn’t have hit me.’) The story also talks about King’s job at Dodger Stadium, a ‘dream job’ for someone who loved baseball growing up.”

Crime Legislation [WATCH]

JA: “The sudden interest in King reached all the way to the highest office in the land. In this video, President George H.W. Bush talks about what happened to King, calling it ‘sickening to see the beating that was rendered.’ He calls the incident a unique, horrible case.”

Report Adds Twist to Case of Beating Victim

JA: “A few days after King’s attorney filed a lawsuit against the city, King ran into trouble with the law. Police said they saw him solicit a prostitute and followed him in an unmarked car. When he saw the officers closing in, King threw his car into reverse and sped away, almost hitting one. King later said he’d fled ‘because I didn’t know he was a cop and I thought he was trying to rob me.’ Ultimately, no charges were filed. But the incident highlights how King’s struggles were only beginning.”

Dr. Drew, Rodney King Talk ‘Celebrity Rehab’ [LISTEN]

JA: “King’s struggles included an alcohol addiction. His father also had a problem with alcohol. King once told Oprah, ‘The alcoholic gene, it has trickled down.’ At one point, King went on the reality TV show ‘Celebrity Rehab.’ This 2008 NPR interview with King and the show’s host, Dr. Drew, gives some insight into his addiction. He says he went on the show as a message to others that it’s a good thing to seek help.”

Rodney King Speaks 20 Years After the Riots [LISTEN]

JA: “In 2012, two months before his death, journalist Patt Morrison spoke with King about his book, The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption. If you skip ahead to 13.25, you can hear him talk about forgiving the officers who attacked him.”

Police: Rodney King’s ‘Accidental Drowning’ Involved Drugs

JA: “In 2012, King accidentally drowned in his swimming pool while under the influence of numerous substances. His brother said King appeared to have his life in order and was told he wasn’t using hard drugs anymore, so his death came as a shock to some loved ones.”

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Slow Burn: Glen [LISTEN]

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