Law News Releases
Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump Donates to Arthenia L. Joyner Endowned Scholarship at FAMU Law
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For Immediate Release
November 22, 2022
ORLANDO, Fla - Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump has great respect and admiration for his mentor, former State Senator Arthenia Joyner. Crump has been inspired by her passion to fight for justice and her devotion to the legal profession. On Saturday, November 19, Crump made a $50,000 donation to the Arthenia L. Joyner Endowed Scholarship.
“I could not think of a better way to give back to Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Law than to give to the Arthenia Joyner Endowed Scholarship,” said Crump,who presented the check during the law school’s annual Classic Tailgate. “I thank ArtheniaJoyner for always lifting up the Black community.”
A member of the last graduating class of the original FAMU law school in Tallahassee in 1968, Joyner is a former Florida legislator and pioneer in the legal profession. She recalls learning about Thurgood Marshall following the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954. “I said, I want to be just like Thurgood Marshall. I want to fight for my people,” recalled Joyner.
Joyner was the second female president of the National Bar Association and is known as the longest-practicing Black female lawyer in the state of Florida.
“We are thankful to both Ben Crump for this generous donation to support our law students to success and to Arthenia Joyner, for her continued dedication to FAMU Law,” said FAMU Law Dean Deidré Keller, who accepted the check before a crowd of nearly 400 alumni, students, faculty, and friends gathered to close out the law school’s 20th Anniversary Celebration.