Attorney Ben Crump outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Photo Credit: Lorie Shaull).
By James Bridgeforth, Ph.D. and Alexander Efird
Introduction: The Battle for Justice Has a Voice—And It’s Ben Crump
In a nation teetering on the edge of moral confusion and political regression, there are few voices who thunder with the clarity, conviction, and courage of Attorney Ben Crump. Called “Black America’s Attorney General,” Crump has carved out a legacy not just in courtrooms, but in the collective conscience of a country still wrestling with the sins of its past and the storms of its present.
From the bloody asphalt of Minneapolis to the hallowed halls of the Supreme Court, Crump has fought for those whom history tries to erase.
He is the legal architect behind landmark victories for the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Trayvon Martin. He’s taken on Big Pharma, the medical industry, Ivy League institutions—and won. And yet, he remains grounded in a singular mission: to defend Black life, Black liberty and Black humanity.
In this exclusive, unfiltered interview with The Chicago Defender, Crump sits down with columnist James Bridgeforth and co-author Alexander Efird for a moment of truth. The conversation is not just a reflection on our fractured times—it’s a blueprint for resistance.
Crump shares his insights on the state of our democracy, diversity, and the role of activism in an increasingly polarized America.
What follows is a lightly edited transcript of that conversation.
James Bridgeforth: Mr. Crump, thank you for your time. We’ve been looking forward to this because we know you’re going to enlighten us about all that’s going on in the world and what we can do about it.
Ben Crump: It’s a pleasure. It’s a lot going on in the world.
Bridgeforth: I’m James Bridgeforth, a columnist for The Chicago Defender, and we’re doing a series on the state of our diversity and democracy. We really wanted your insight because of the role you’ve played in our nation’s civil rights history.
Let’s start with this: You’ve lived through the last part of the 20th century and now into a very different era. How would you characterize the time we’re in now?
Crump: You know, James, we must always remember that history often repeats itself. That’s why it’s so important that we focus on Black history. Without Black history, there would be no American history as we know it.
This attack on DEI, Black literature, Black culture—it’s a reaction to the progress we’ve made. I do believe it’s still a reaction to President Barack Obama being elected. It sent trembles through the powers that be.
And this is nothing new. After every great moment of progress, there’s always a reaction. The enemies of equality cannot win this war if we ensure our children are more intelligent than those who seek to oppress them. That’s why the attack on education is so targeted—it’s about intellect.
Bridgeforth: A lot of people are dismayed right now. What do you say to those who feel like giving up? What action can they take?
Crump: I turn to our ancestors. Angela Davis said, “I will no longer accept the things I cannot change. I will fight like hell to change the things I cannot accept.”
And Frederick Douglass told us, “Without struggle, there can be no progress.”
Even in slavery, our people struggled. And that struggle was progress. We must celebrate the struggle every day. Even in the smallest forms. Think about how an engine works—friction is necessary. Without it, nothing moves.
Bridgeforth: That takes me to the legal terrain. We see people responding to executive orders as if they’re laws. What can Americans do to fight back?
Crump: We have to fight back. We have to file lawsuits. Power concedes nothing but to a demand.
People get scared and surrender, but I say: fight it. Take it to the courts. A woman fired from the National Labor Relations Board challenged Donald Trump—and won. People said we couldn’t win for Henrietta Lacks. They said the Harvard case was too old. But we fought—and we won.
Even with a conservative Supreme Court, you have to try. Remember Thurgood Marshall. Remember that even Amy Coney Barrett ruled against Trump recently. So no, we don’t quit. We keep showing up.
Bridgeforth: How do you get through to conservative courts?
Crump: It’s about strategy—and faith. The laws have always been used to hurt us. I wrote “Open Season: The Legalized Genocide of Colored People” because of this truth. But I also know the courts have moments—moments—when truth prevails. We just have to bring the best arguments we can.
Alexander Efird: As a white ally, what can people like me do to help push back against these policies?
Crump: Dr. King said, “You can’t call yourself a good person and look away from injustice.”
Everyone has a role to play. You don’t have to march with me and Rev. Al. You can write letters. Run for office. Use your power.
Just because something is legal doesn’t make it right. Slavery was legal. Jim Crow was legal. What they did to Emmett Till was “legal.” But it wasn’t right. So now, we must say that together—“That doesn’t make it right.”
Bridgeforth: Let’s talk about African-American men and this current political moment. What should we be doing?
Crump: We need brothers who are unapologetic defenders of Black life, Black liberty, and Black humanity.
Not just articulate—but courageous. I am willing to stand before Pharaoh and say no more. That’s the kind of strength we need right now.
Photo Credit: Lorie Shaull
Efird: Despite federal government rolling back women’s rights, 53% of white women voted for Mr. Trump. Why do you think they supported Trump so heavily?
Crump: I don’t know. It baffles me. DEI benefited white women more than anyone. And yet, they voted against their own interest. Maybe it was about racial identity. I can’t say for sure.
Bridgeforth: A lot of college presidents—like at Harvard and Penn—were ousted for standing up for DEI. In this critical time where colleges are rolling back their DEI programs, what do you think the role of the college president is in this fight to protect and preserve diversity and equality in American higher education? What advice would you give today’s college presidents?
Crump: They must fight for the aristocracy of intellect. Knowledge is power. That’s why they’re under attack. It’s calculated. If you take away education, people are easier to manipulate.
We need courage—before resources, before credentials. Stand on truth.
Malcolm X said, “I’m for truth no matter who tells it, and I’m for justice no matter who it benefits.”
Efird: What about students like me? What role should college students play today?
Crump: Lead. Every movement has been led by young people. John Lewis. Stokely Carmichael. Even today—George Floyd, Breonna Taylor—it was young people out front. Agitate. Stay loud. Be fearless.
Bridgeforth: What can columnists like me—and papers like The Chicago Defender—do to support your work?
Crump: Speak truth to power.
The media is the fourth branch of government. But too many are afraid. Ida B. Wells wasn’t. Neither should you be. Don’t be silent. Write the truth—even if it’s unpopular. Even if it’s dangerous.
What’s more dangerous is letting people be lied to while you say nothing.
Efird: Who else should we talk to during the series that will bring a fresh perspective for our readers?
Crump: Talk to Rev. Al Sharpton. Congresswomen Maxine Waters and Jasmine Crockett. Angela Rye. Tamika Mallory. Rev. Jamal Bryant. Michael Eric Dyson. They’re all on the frontlines.
Bridgeforth: Last question: How can we stay connected with you to help amplify your work?
Crump: Keep writing stories like this that speak power to truth and continue to reach out to us. Harry Belafonte said, “What good is influence if you don’t use it when it matters most?”
Right now—it matters most.
Closing: The Conscience of a Nation
Ben Crump is more than a lawyer. He is the voice of a people who refuse to be silenced. He is the legal warrior who dares to demand justice from a system built to deny it. He is a son of the South who has become the standard bearer for a new civil rights era.
In every case, every interview, every courtroom step, Crump makes one thing clear: the struggle is not over—but neither is our will to fight.
As he told The Defender, “What good is influence if you don’t use it when it matters most?”
Crump is using his. And in doing so, he reminds all of us—writers, students, presidents, and everyday citizens—that our voices still matter, that justice is still possible, and that history is still being written.
And when the story of 21st century justice is told, the name Benjamin Crump will not be whispered. It will be thundered—like a gavel of truth echoing through the halls of power.
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