Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson is a renowned author, lawyer, and civil rights activist who has devoted his life to justice and equality for the most vulnerable among us. A MacArthur genius, Stevenson has earned the international praise of presidents, celebrities, and everyday people across the globe for his courageous and tireless work for prisoners on death row and other victims of injustice.
As a young boy growing up in rural Delaware, Stevenson was no stranger to the discriminatory practices of racism, yet he persevered to get a degree from Eastern University and later his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. After law school, Stevenson began to practice law in Boston, but his heart soon drew him back to his home state, where he could still experience firsthand the injustices occurring in the criminal justice system.
In 1989, Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, with a mission to seek justice for those who could not get it any other way. He focused his attention on death row inmates and prisoners subjected to egregiously long sentences without enough evidence to prove their innocence. Among other issues, Stevenson has fought against racial disparities in sentencing and the implications of the death penalty.
In addition to his activism and lawyering, Stevenson is also a sought after public speaker who travels extensively to inspire audiences with his powerful message of hope, equality and justice. He has lectured at universities, colleges and civic organizations all over the world, and his words have been made into a documentary, a Netflix documentary series and a book, Just Mercy. In his 2014 book, he reveals the stories of his early days working with death row prisoners in Alabama.
In Just Mercy, Stevenson shares personal stories of former clients, victims of injustice, and other people he has interacted with during his legal career, seeking to open readers’ eyes to the inhumane criminal justice system in the United States. He writes of the heartbreaking and heartbreaking stories of those seeking his help, the struggles of his clients, and the power of the human spirit. He also reveals his personal life, exploring his motivations and how his experiences have shaped his outlook on justice.
Just Mercy has had huge success with readers, being named one of the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times and inducted into Time Magazine's 25 Most Influential People of 2018. It has also won numerous awards, including the NAACP Image Award and was made into a feature film of the same name which won the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
By dedicating his career to the protection of human rights, Stevenson has created a legacy of hope and justice that will not be soon forgotten. He continues to travel to countries around the world to encourage others to follow his path of activism and stand on the side of justice. Stevenson's story is an inspiration to us all, showing us how one person's actions can change the course of history and ultimately bring about a more equal and just society.
