Bryan Stevenson is a prominent American lawyer, social justice activist, and law professor at New York University School of Law. He is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. Over the course of his career, Stevenson has made significant contributions to the American legal system, notably challenging bias against the poor and minorities, especially children. His tireless efforts have not only led to relief for dozens of condemned prisoners but also influenced United States Supreme Court decisions that prohibit sentencing children under 18 to death or to life imprisonment without parole.

Stevenson's work has been widely recognized and celebrated, earning him numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant. He has argued five times before the Supreme Court, and his advocacy for the poor and disadvantaged has won him national acclaim. His memoir, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, recounts his work with Walter McMillian, who was unjustly convicted and sentenced to death, and has been adapted into the 2019 legal drama film Just Mercy.

In addition to his legal achievements, Stevenson initiated the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, which honors the names of over 4,000 African Americans lynched in the South from 1877 to 1950. He also established The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration, which seeks to show the connection between the history of slavery and lynchings and the current high rate of incarceration and executions of people of color in the United States. His advocacy extends beyond the courtroom, engaging in public discussions and debates about the legacy of racial injustice in America.

His work has been acknowledged with prestigious awards, such as the Benjamin Franklin Award from the American Philosophical Society and the Right Livelihood Award which he shared with other distinguished activists in 2020, showcasing his role as a "Drum major for justice and mercy."