Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump spoke at Stony Brook University on April 7, sharing his experiences and motivations with students and community members. The event, titled “An Evening with Benjamin Crump,” took place at the Student Activities Center and was attended by a large audience. Ric McClendon, assistant vice president and dean of students, moderated the discussion.
Crump is known for representing families in high-profile cases involving police brutality and wrongful death, including those of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Trayvon Martin. He has received several honors such as being named one of Ebony magazine’s Power 100 Most Influential African Americans and National Newspaper Publishers Association’s Top Black Newsmaker of the 21st Century in 2026. During his talk, he also discussed his recent book Worse Than a Lie (Bantam), which examines issues of race, class, and justice.
Unity Watts-Bailey, director of residential education for apartments, suites and Southampton campus at Stony Brook University said: “Tonight is an opportunity for reflection, learning and connection. We gather in community to engage with a leader whose work has not only shaped conversations around justice but has moved them further.”
Crump recounted how growing up in Lumberton, North Carolina influenced his decision to become a lawyer after witnessing disparities between schools following delayed integration after Brown vs. Board of Education. “If you remember the Supreme Court decision … they said they would integrate the schools but they didn’t give a precise date when that had to happen … That ruling happened in 1955 but for Lumberton integration didn’t happen until 1980,” he said.
He described how seeing better resources on one side of town led him to ask his mother about inequality. She explained it was due to Brown vs. Board of Education and Thurgood Marshall’s work as a lawyer—prompting Crump’s own career path: “When I grow up I’m going to become a lawyer like Thurgood Marshall … I’m fighting for marginalized people.”
During the event Crump spoke about challenges facing young civil rights lawyers today such as voter suppression, environmental racism and the school-to-prison pipeline—issues explored in Worse Than a Lie through its fictional narrative centered on systemic injustice.
Reflecting on mentorship from Reverend Jesse Jackson who died earlier this year he shared advice Jackson gave him during a difficult court case: “Attorney Crump you must always remember you don’t drown because the water is deep; you drown because you stop kicking… If you keep kicking we will overcome.” Crump credited these words with helping secure legal victories that made an impact on clients’ lives.
