Source: Pool / Getty
Will Smith and a number of prominent figures are joining forces to raise money for the St. Thomas University Law School, an institution that will soon be renamed after civil rights attorney Ben Crump.
On Feb. 8, the Emancipation star flew down to Miami for the dedication ceremony of what will soon be known as the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. According to TMZ, Smith teamed up with funk music legend George Clinton and Bishop TD Jakes to raise a whopping $10 million dollars for the school’s construction.
“Ben has been an absolutely spectacular friend and guide, and that’s why it was important for me to be here with him today,” Smith said as he stood alongside Crump celebrating the big news, according to The Daily Mail.
“There are very, very few people in the world with a heart like this; so it is my deepest honor and my deepest pleasure to be here to support and to show some love. Congratulations on this historic honor,” Smith said.
Relatives of Trayvon Martin And George Floyd also attended the civil rights icon’s dedication ceremony
Over the last three years, Crump has become a crucial voice and advocate in the fight against police brutality in America. Shining a light on racial profiling and discrimination, the 53-year-old lawyer has represented the families of several high-profile police brutality victims including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and most recently, Tyre Nichols.
During the ceremony, George Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd and Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton showered Crump with praise for his unwavering commitment to social justice.
“I just came to salute him and let him know that I’m proud of him for the work that he not only did for the Trayvon Martin Foundation, but that he did for so many other families,” Fulton said, while Floyd added:
“I knew it would come, but I didn’t know it would come this bad. It’s a blessing.”
It’s unclear when construction for the school will be finished, but sources say there are plans to break ground soon.
This isn’t the first historic feat for the well-known civil rights attorney. In 2021, Crump was honored on Time 100’s “Most Influential People” list, where he spoke about how his grandmother sparked his passion for creating change.
“When you speak, speak truth to power,” the social justice advocate recalled of his grandmother saying. “You put your shoulders back, you put your head up and even if your knees are shaking, even if your palms are sweating, you still speak truth to power, because God made you for this moment.”
In 2022, Black-ish creator Kenya Barris teamed up the director Nadia Hallgren to produce a Netflix documentary called Civil, which honored the life of the legal titan.
RELATED CONTENT: C-Murder Is On A Hunger Strike Due To ‘Horrible Living & Safety Conditions’ In Prison, He’s Now Being Represented By Ben Crump
