Crump and Obama are the Top Black News Makers of the 21st Century

January 26, 2026

The National Newspaper Publishers Association analyzed 25 years of headlines from over 200 Black-owned newspapers and identified civil rights attorney Ben Crump as the most frequently cited Black American in national news coverage since 2000, surpassing even former President Barack Obama. Crump gained prominence representing families in high-profile cases of racial injustice, beginning with Trayvon Martin in 2012 and continuing through cases involving George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others, while securing historic verdicts including a recent $779. 3 million award for a Black security guard's family.

Who is affected

Families of victims of racial injustice and police violence (Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Michael Brown, Botham Jean, Lewis Butler, Malcolm X)
Children affected by the Flint Water Crisis
Black women diagnosed with ovarian cancer allegedly from Johnson & Johnson talcum powder products
Black women who developed uterine cancer allegedly from chemical hair relaxers
Henrietta Lacks and her descendants
Tamara Lanier, descendant of enslaved Papa Renty
Black farmers
A Black child who died at an amusement park
Victims of "banking while Black" discrimination
Black Americans and poor people seeking equal justice
The 20 million weekly readers of NNPA member newspapers

What action is being taken

No explicit ongoing actions are described in the article. The article reports on completed cases, past verdicts, and settlements rather than currently ongoing actions.

Why it matters

This matters because it documents how racial injustice cases have dominated Black news coverage in the 21st century, demonstrating the persistent "constitutional crisis" facing Black Americans. Crump's prominence reflects the ongoing struggle for equal justice and accountability in cases involving Black victims, with his legal victories establishing precedents that assign significant monetary value to Black lives in wrongful death cases. The recognition serves as a historical record for future generations of Black leadership, innovation, and influence during this era, while highlighting that the fight for civil rights remains a defining issue of the century. The substantial verdicts and settlements—including $779.3 million, $641 million, and $310 million awards—send messages to institutions and businesses about accountability for Black lives.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint