Crump Promotes Giving Back in Chancellor’s Speaker’s Series
posted by Dominque Elliot | December 5, 2018 | In NewsBenjamin Crump came to speak for the Chancellor James Anderson’s Chancellor’s Speaker series. Benjamin Crump has had a role in “the Trayvon Martin, Martin Lee Anderson Boot Camp, Jannie Ligons (State of Oklahoma vs. Daniel Holtzclaw) and Robbie Tolan cases [which] shows a legacy built around the idea that the Constitution applies to everyone, at every level of society,” according to his company website.
Benjamin Crump was born nearby in Lumberton, NC. He commented that it was great to come home. Crump illustrated that he even wanted to push a lawsuit against the CSX Corporation because of the problems they caused in his home community of Robeson County.
Chancellor Anderson asked Crump a question concerning the Trayvon Martin case and his feeling towards George Zimmerman. But he replied, “Don’t speak [Zimmerman’s] name. Don’t give him that power: the killer of Trayvon.”
Although Crump had lost the case, he still had a positive outlook on the outcome.
“Because of their work, his parents made Trayvon the number one news story in the world, not just the community,” said Crump.
Crump emphasized how important it is that a Black child who was a victim of police brutality was trending worldwide, especially since cases involving Black people and police brutality can get little-to-no coverage. Crump had found a positive light in such a dark case.
When asked why he became a lawyer, Crump contemplated for a moment before answering with a retelling of a moment from his early childhood. It was after the Brown vs. Board decision, and schools in his community was integrated. He remembers being in line with his friends, and a little white girl came over to them and offered to buy them lunch. He remembers her distinctly pulling out a one-hundred-dollar bill to pay for them. He remembered thinking: Why do some communities have it so good and we have it so challenging?
He was later told, as a little boy, that it was because of Thurgood Marshall that schools were integrated. Crump stated, that as a little boy, he thought, “I want to be like Thurgood Marshall.”
Crump also had a 4-point plan for dealing with felonies:
- Number one: Reject the notion that people are bad when convicted of things.
- Number two: “Serve on juries!”
- Number three: “Challenge the county clerk of courts to see the statistics from the D.A.” He mentioned looking at statistics to see how many African Americans were jailed in the community and their charges. “Make sure they treat everyone equal!”
- Number four: “Mentor! Save a life!” Help guide young people to get better jobs and make better decisions, so they don’t end up in jail in the first place. “It’s not about making a living, it’s about making a life!”
Crump mentioned that the great thing young people have is optimism to change the world. He encouraged the students present to get involved, including becoming police officers, prosecutors, and general counselors.
“Education does no good if you keep among the educated,” Crumps said.
Crump believes in W.E.B DuBois talented tenth rule, meaning he believes in people raising their social status and coming back and helping the community.
The event was inspiring, enlightening, and quite thought-provoking. It should be recommended that all student and faculty should try to attend the Chancellor’s Speakers Series.
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