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Fifty New Lawyers Ready to Take on Racial Injustice

Jamie Jackson
January 21, 2026

FILE - The Capitol is seen in Washington, April 18, 2023. In January, the U.S. government ran up against its legal borrowing capacity of $31.381 trillion, and the Treasury Department began implementing “extraordinary measures” to avoid a default. That started the clock on the “x-date” when those measures would be exhausted. The x-date could be reached as early as June, depending on how much money the IRS collected in April from people filing their taxes. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

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WASHINGTON (AURN News) — A program aimed at developing the next generation of civil rights attorneys is marking a major milestone.

The Legal Defense Fund has provided support and training through its Marshall-Motley Scholars Program for the past five years, focusing on building a pipeline of civil rights lawyers across the South.

The program’s mission centers on advancing justice for Black Americans, particularly in areas involving citizenship and civil rights.

“Thanks to this program, 50 Marshall-Motley Scholars now stand ready to reimagine the legal landscape of the South with bold advocacy, lived experience, and unwavering commitment to the communities they serve. Together, they represent not only the tenacious fight against racial injustice, but the promise of what justice can become,” Legal Defense Fund President and Director-Counsel Janai Nelson said in a statement.

The Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1940 and separated from the NAACP in 1957.

According to the LDF, Marshall-Motley Scholars receive “comprehensive legal training, financial support, mentorship, and placement within civil rights organizations across the South.”

Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Jamie Jackson:

Jamie Jackson is an Emmy-nominated television and radio broadcaster who has served American Urban Radio Networks since 2015. He previously covered the Obama and Trump administrations as a White House Correspondent and Pool Reporter for AURN News. Jamie hosted a national PBS television special in 2023 and over the years has worked as a TV news anchor and local NPR host for stations across the country. His work has been honored by numerous organizations, including the NAACP and the Virginia Farm Bureau.