Benjamin Crump facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Benjamin Crump
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Crump in 2020
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Benjamin Lloyd Crump
October 10, 1969 |
| Education | Florida State University (BS, JD) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Genae Crump |
| Children | 1 |
Benjamin Lloyd Crump (born October 10, 1969) is an American lawyer who works to protect civil rights for everyone. He is known for helping families who have faced unfair treatment or lost loved ones in difficult situations. He often takes on cases involving serious injuries or deaths that could have been prevented.
Mr. Crump has represented families in many important cases. These include the families of Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Tyre Nichols. He also helped people affected by the Flint water crisis. He is the founder of his own law firm, Ben Crump Law, located in Tallahassee, Florida. Because of his work, some people call him "Black America's attorney general."
Contents
Early Life and Education
Where Did Benjamin Crump Grow Up?
Benjamin Lloyd Crump was born in Lumberton, North Carolina. This town is close to Fort Bragg. He was the oldest of nine children and step-siblings. His grandmother helped raise him in a big family.
His mother, Helen, worked hard as a hotel maid. She also worked in a shoe factory. She sent Benjamin to live with her second husband in Plantation, Florida. This man was a math teacher, and Benjamin considers him his father.
What Did Benjamin Crump Study?
Mr. Crump went to Florida State University. He earned his first degree in criminal justice in 1992. Then, he got his law degree in 1995. He is also a lifelong member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
Helping People: Early Cases
How Did Crump Start His Legal Career?
In 2002, Benjamin Crump began representing families in important cases. One of his first cases was for the family of Genie McMeans Jr. He was an African American driver who died after being shot by a state trooper. In 2007, Crump helped the family of Martin Lee Anderson. This teenager died after being beaten by guards in a youth center in Florida.
Key Cases: Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown
In 2012, Mr. Crump became well-known for representing the family of Trayvon Martin. Trayvon was a young man who died in Florida. This case brought a lot of attention to issues of justice.
In 2014, the family of Michael Brown also asked Crump to represent them. Michael Brown's death was widely discussed. Crump also worked with the family of Tamir Rice, a young boy who died in Cleveland, Ohio.
Continuing Civil Rights Work (2015-2019)
Mr. Crump continued his work helping families. In 2015, he represented the family of Antonio Zambrano-Montes. He was an immigrant who died after being shot by police in Washington state. He also represented the family of Corey Jones, who died while waiting for a tow truck in Florida.
In 2016, Crump took on the case of Terence Crutcher. He was an unarmed Black man who died after being shot by a police officer in Tulsa. In 2017, Crump opened his own law firm, Ben Crump Law, PLLC.
In 2019, Crump worked with other lawyers to help communities affected by the Flint water crisis. This crisis involved unsafe drinking water in Flint, Michigan. He also represented people in a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson. They claimed the company's talcum powder caused health problems.
Important Cases: Injuries and Deaths
Cases in 2020
In early 2020, Crump began working with the family of Ahmaud Arbery. Ahmaud was an unarmed young Black man who died in Georgia. Around the same time, he represented the family of Breonna Taylor. She was a young Black woman who died during a police action in her apartment.
After the death of George Floyd in May 2020, Crump began representing his family. George Floyd died after a police officer knelt on his neck. This event led to many protests around the world against unfair police actions. Crump spoke before the U.S. Senate about this case and the need for fair treatment for African Americans.
In August 2020, Crump also represented the families of Trayford Pellerin and Jacob Blake. Trayford Pellerin was a Black man who died after being shot by police in Louisiana. Jacob Blake was a Black man shot by a police officer in Wisconsin while his children watched.
Cases in 2021
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In 2021, Benjamin Crump represented the family of Christian Hall. Christian was a teenager who died after being shot by state troopers in Pennsylvania. Crump and the family said a video of the event showed a different story than what police reported.
In April 2021, Crump began representing the family of Daunte Wright. Daunte was a young African American man who died after being shot by a police officer. The officer said she meant to use her taser but accidentally used her handgun.
After the Astroworld Festival crowd crush, Crump represented a concertgoer in a lawsuit against Travis Scott. He spoke about the "terror and helplessness" people felt during the event. In December 2021, Crump also represented the parents of Valentina Orellana-Peralta. She was a 14-year-old girl who died in a Los Angeles department store. She was hit by a bullet that ricocheted during a police action.
Cases in 2022
Crump represented Amir Locke's family in February 2022. Locke died after being shot by police during a search warrant. In April 2022, Crump took on the case of Patrick Lyoya. He was an unarmed man who died after being shot by a police officer in Michigan.
In May 2022, Crump was hired by the families of three victims of the 2022 Buffalo shooting. He also represented Paul Rusesabagina, a Rwandan politician.
The family of Randy Cox hired Crump in June 2022. Randy Cox became paralyzed after being injured in a police van. Officers were fired for their actions and mocking him. In 2023, the city of New Haven, Connecticut, reached a $45 million agreement with Cox's family.
Cases in 2023
In January 2023, Crump represented the family of Earl Moore Jr. in a lawsuit. Moore died after being strapped face down to a stretcher. Also in January 2023, Crump announced he would represent the family of Tyre Nichols. Tyre died after being beaten by police officers in Memphis, Tennessee.
In April 2023, Crump began representing the family of Ralph Yarl. Ralph was a 16-year-old Black teenager who was shot for ringing the doorbell of the wrong house. In June 2023, Crump represented the family of Ajike Owens. She was shot and died after arguing with a neighbor.
Cases in 2024
In February 2024, Crump represented Eboni Pouncy. She was shot multiple times by sheriff's deputies inside her apartment. In May 2024, the family of Roger Fortson hired Crump. Fortson was a 23-year-old Black U.S. Air Force airman who died after being shot by police in his apartment.
In June 2024, the family of D'vontaye Mitchell hired Crump. Mitchell died after an argument with hotel security. Witness video showed security officers holding him down. Crump said the security officers were responsible for his death. Also in June 2024, Crump began representing the family of Sonya Massey. She died after being shot by a deputy in her home.
In October 2024, Crump represented the family of Amber Thurman. She died in a hospital in 2022. Crump also led the effort for the family of Botham Jean. They received a $98.65 million jury verdict in a lawsuit against a former Dallas police officer. Botham Jean died in his apartment in 2018. In December 2024, the family of Tyre Sampson received a $310 million jury verdict. Tyre Sampson, 14, died in 2022 after falling from an amusement park ride.
Cases in 2025
In January 2025, after wildfires in Southern California, Crump was hired by the family of Evelyn Cathirell. She died in the Eaton fire. A lawsuit was filed against a utility company, claiming they failed to prevent the fire.
Restorative Justice Cases
Henrietta Lacks' Family
In 2021, Benjamin Crump and Christopher Seeger announced they would represent the family of Henrietta Lacks. Henrietta Lacks' cells were taken without her knowledge in 1951. These cells, called HeLa cells, have been used in medical research for many years. Many companies have made money from them. In July 2023, Henrietta Lacks' family reached a private agreement with one of these companies.
Malcolm X's Family
In November 2024, Crump filed a lawsuit for the family of Malcolm X. Malcolm X was an important Black civil rights leader who died in 1965. The lawsuit claims that the FBI, CIA, and New York Police Department were involved in his death. It says they failed to stop the assassination. Crump hopes this lawsuit will help law enforcement learn from past mistakes.
Activism and Advocacy
Benjamin Crump often speaks out about important issues. These include racial equality, unfair police actions, and the need for police reform. He has spoken to Congress about police practices. He supports mandatory police body cameras and wants to ban certain police holds. He also wants to change rules about how police officers are protected from lawsuits.
Film and Television Work
Crump's Appearances on Screen
Benjamin Crump has appeared on television shows and documentaries. In 2017, he was on a reality court show called You the Jury. Later that year, he investigated the death of rapper Tupac Shakur in a TV documentary series.
In 2018, Crump hosted a TV show called Evidence of Innocence. This show focused on people who were wrongly convicted of crimes and spent many years in jail. Crump hoped the show would help people understand these important issues.
In 2022, Netflix released a documentary film about him called Civil: Ben Crump. It was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2023. In 2023, Crump appeared on The Daily Show to talk about the Tyre Nichols case.
In 2024, Crump produced a film called “How to Sue the Klan.” This film tells the story of a 1980 shooting involving the Ku Klux Klan. The film won several awards at film festivals.
Awards and Recognition
What Awards Has Benjamin Crump Received?
Benjamin Crump has received many honors for his work. In 2021, he was named one of the Time 100 Most Influential People in the World. Lawyers of Distinction also named him their 2021 Lawyer of the Year.
In 2020, Lawyers of Color recognized him as the #1 Most Influential Black Lawyer of the Decade. In 2023, St. Thomas University in Florida renamed their law school after him. It is now called the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. This is a special honor, as it's the only law school named after a practicing African American lawyer.
In 2023, Crump received the Social Impact Award at the NAACP Image Awards. He said he accepted the award to keep fighting for "Black life, Black liberty, and Black humanity." In 2024, he was included in Forbes' list of America's Top 200 Lawyers.
Books Written by Crump
In 2019, Benjamin Crump wrote a book called Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People. It was published by HarperCollins Publishers.
Images for kids
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Crump in 2020
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Crump with U.S. Representative Terri Sewell at an event about the Montgomery bus boycott
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Crump in 2021
