The College of Law at St. Thomas University in Miami on Wednesday officially renamed itself the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law after the famous African American attorney known for getting lucrative settlements for the families of victims of police brutality.
This is the first law school in the nation named after a practicing Black attorney. The only other law school in the country named for an African American is the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in Houston.
“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 A. Armstrong, president of the 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. Our faith in God, and our belief in the tenets laid out by our founding fathers in the U.S. Constitution, enable us to go beyond race and politics, and focus on the work necessary to truly make the United States the home of the free, and the brave.”
The law school is ranked #1 Greatest Resources for Minority Students in the 2022 and 2023 Princeton Review Best Law Schools rankings and PreLaw Magazine rated it among the top 10 Best Schools for Racial Justice (2022) in the country.
“It is a privilege to be a part of the St. Thomas University legacy through the Benjamin L. College of Law,” Crump said. “We have come such a long way in the journey to equality, but we are not there yet. 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.”