The Multifaceted
Donald Marvin Jones

Championing Justice and Equality

Donald Jones, a Baltimore native, is a Professor of Law at the University of Miami.
Professor Jones, who has taught Constitutional Law and Criminal Procedure at the law school for over thirty years, has published numerous articles in leading law journals including Georgetown, University of Michigan, and Vanderbilt University.

In 1997 Professor Jones was awarded the James Thomas prize by Yale University recognizing him as one the nation’s foremost scholars on civil rights issues. Reaching out to audiences beyond the ivory tower Professor Jones has published three books. His first book, about the plight of black men is entitled Race, Sex and Suspicion; the Myth of the Black Male (2005). His second book entitled Fear of a Hip-Hop Planet: America’s New Dilemma is about how and why social identity is no longer black and white but has become a spectrum that includes not only race but culture. His third book Dangerous Spaces: Beyond the Racial Profile(2016) looks at racial profiling in the 21st century. His fourth book, The Presumption: Racial Injustice in the United States is due out this spring.

Professor Jones is a frequent commentator on local and national issues involving civil and political rights and has appeared on local and national television hundreds of times He is also a frequent contributor to the editorial pages of THE MIAMI HERALD, THE HUFFINGTON POST, and THE SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES where he is a regular contributor.

Professor Jones has led many civil rights initiatives. He was hired by Miami-Dade County to draft a plan for minority inclusion in county contracting some years ago, and later was hired to review the City of Miami’s deadly force policy. He has since frequently advised the Miami-Dade County School Board on inclusion programs for minority businesses.

Professor Jones has lectured nationally for many organizations including the American Bar Association, the Law and Society Association, the National Bar Association, The Florida Association of State Judges, and The National NAACP Convention. In 2009 Professor Jones was voted one of the most influential blacks in South Florida by success magazine

He has delivered lectures and talks at universities such as Harvard, Yale, University of Michigan, University of Honolulu, University of Denver, and FIU. His international lectures have taken place at institutions such as the University of Berlin, the University of Vienna, Charles University in the Czech Republic, the University of Rome, and the University of Barcelona. He remains a speaker at various universities.

His work has not only influenced policies but also inspired a new generation of scholars and activists to engage in meaningful social change. Professor Jones’s dedication to civil rights has earned accolades from peers and communities alike, showcasing his ability to bridge academic insight with practical advocacy. His expertise is sought nationally, and his collaborations often result in progressive reforms that push boundaries and challenge societal norms.