Graduation 2026: Chris Payne follows the trail his forefathers blazed

The latest generation of Payne family lawyers is about to walk the graduation stage at WVU. For him, a strong legacy is a first step.

“Even though I never knew my great-grandfather, I still feel the effects of his accomplishments.”

The speaker is Chris Payne, a graduating student at the West Virginia University College of Law. His great-grandfather, Brown Wesley Payne, was the first black attorney in Beckley, West Virginia.

The two are united by more than their last name.

Both were born and raised in Beckley, but Payne didn’t think he’d stay after college. After traveling across the country, however, he knew he was missing something.

“I guess I got a little homesick,” Payne said. “I tried to fight it – harder than most, I think – but it’s just a great place. It really is.”

He also fought the urge to continue his family’s storied legal legacy.

His great-grandfather was the first black lawyer in the Beckley area. The Brown Wesley Payne Fund for Future West Virginia Attorneys is named in his honor.

His mother, Roslyn Clark Artis, transitioned from a successful law career to higher education and now serves as the president of Benedict College, a historically black college in Columbia, South Carolina.

His father, Wilbert A. Payne, served as president of the Mountain State Bar and was possibly the only third-generation black lawyer in the United States at the time of his graduation from law school.

That means Payne might be the first fourth-generation black lawyer in the United States.

“My whole life, everyone said, ‘You’re gonna be a lawyer, you’re gonna be a lawyer,’” Payne said. “I had the realization that I didn’t know if I wanted to do this, so I just ended up leaving.”

Stints working in sales, stock trading, life insurance, and cryptocurrency taught him a valuable lesson: he needed to pursue the law. “At one point, the thought came to my head, ‘Oh my gosh, my mom was right about everything. I would enjoy doing stuff like this.’”

He’s made the most of his time at WVU Law. In the summer of 2025, he served as a summer clerk for the Honorable Frank W. Volk, chief United States district judge of the United States district court for the southern district of West Virginia and WVU Law adjunct professor.

He’s also served as president of the WVU Law class of 2026 and was involved in creating a fund, named for Assistant Dean Jennifer Powell, that will pay for at least 1 student’s books every year. “We’re hoping to raise $40,000, and once we graduate, we’d all like to donate to it so it grows and grows.”

For Payne, law is about service, and his family has set a strong example. After graduating, he’ll return to Beckley to work with the Public Defender Corporation and plans to invest in the community just as his predecessors did.

“My dad passed last year, and my siblings and I inherited a building that’s been in our family since my great-grandfather,” Payne said. “It was the first motel for African-Americans in Beckley. It’s right down the street from the courthouse, a prime location. I’d like to renovate that building and see what else could be done with it.”

When Payne walks across the commencement stage, he’ll head towards a bright future – but he’ll also carry his family’s legacy.

To him, it’s not a burden. It’s a gift.

“My dad stayed in his roots and did everything he could for that community in Beckley,” Payne said. “I ran away for so long, and now I appreciate West Virginia a lot. The people are amazing here. It’s time for me to give back.”