St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida, is renaming its law school the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law, becoming the country’s first law school named after a working Black attorney.
Crump is perhaps the best-known attorney in the nation for civil rights and personal injury work. He has represented the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Trayvon Martin.
“The naming of the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law at St. Thomas University is the latest step in an effort to encourage bridge-building among the legal profession, law enforcement, and our communities,” said David Armstrong, President of St. Thomas University. “Ben and I couldn’t be more different politically, but we share a passion for justice and the hope that by working together, we can continue to drive meaningful change.”
Crump’s idol, former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, is the only other Black individual who has a law school named after him.
Crump chose to partner with the school because it is situated in a global city that is replete with ethnic and racial diversity.
“We have come such a long way in the journey to equality, but we are not there yet,” Crump stated in the release. “The future changemakers and civil justice leaders that will matriculate from St. Thomas will soon be passed the torch from today’s civil rights icons and I have every confidence that they will meet the moment.”
In 2021, Crump and the school launched the Benjamin L. Crump Center for Social Justice, an initiative that aims to train diverse lawyers to work in the social justice realm. The center offers programming, symposia and training, and was funded by a $1 million leadership grant from Truist Financial Corporation.
Much of Crump’s career has been devoted to fighting for the marginalized in many areas, including healthcare, environmental issues, intellectual property, and more.
The Floridian reported that a few students from the school who are within a year or so of graduating are “fuming mad and considering legal action against the school for renaming the law school after Crump.”
It is important to note, the sources are and have remained anonymous.
