Who gained fame for spreading the news of gold discovery in San Francisco?

The figure who gained fame for spreading the news of gold discovery in San Francisco is Sam Brannan. He was a notable entrepreneur and one of the first to capitalize on the gold rush. After the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in 1848 by James Marshall, Brannan took it upon himself to publicize the gold findings to encourage mass migration to California. He effectively utilized his position as a store owner to sell supplies to miners and made a fortune in the process. By frequently parading through the streets of San Francisco while waving a vial of gold dust, he stirred public interest and excitement about the gold rush, which in turn led to a dramatic increase in migration to the area.

Levi Strauss is remembered for founding his successful clothing company, particularly famous for creating denim jeans, which is unrelated to the gold discovery. James Marshall is known for actually finding the gold, but he did not publicize it to the level that Brannan did. Rodney King is historically notable for the Los Angeles riots and police brutality issues, with no connection to the gold rush. Thus, Sam Brannan's marketing efforts and significant role in signaling the gold rush to the public make him the key figure associated with spreading the news of gold discovered in San Francisco.