A concurrent RESOLUTION

 

TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME The portion of South Main Street from the Georgia Pacific Facility to thE Old Nantex Building at Clayton Street IN MCCormick COUNTY the "Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Memorial Highway" AND ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS AT THIS LOCATION CONTAINING THE DESIGNATION.

 

Whereas, a native of Epworth, a small community in Greenwood County, Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays was born on August 1, 1894. He spent his formative years at the Brick House school in Epworth before spending two years at the Baptist-sponsored school in nearby McCormick. A dedicated and brilliant student, he graduated as valedictorian from the high school at South Carolina State College in 1916; and

 

Whereas, Dr. Mays attended the African American Richmond Union University in Virginia before being accepted into the integrated Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. He graduated from Bates with honors in 1920 and earned his master's degree from the University of Chicago in 1925. Upon completing his master's degree, Dr. Mays returned to South Carolina and taught English at South Carolina State College; and

 

Whereas, Dr. Mays began a two-year national study of African American churches in America in 1928. His book, The Negro's Church, was published in 1933, and was one of the nearly two thousand articles and nine books he published throughout his career. He completed his Ph.D. in religion from the University of Chicago in 1935, and was named dean of religion at Howard University in Washington, D.C.; and

 

Whereas, Dr. Mays became president of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia in 1940 and served in that role for over twenty-seven years. He was responsible for lifting Morehouse to international prominence, presiding over the college when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a student there. Dr. King would later say he was led to the ministry by Mays and his Tuesday morning chapel sermons. Dr. Mays mentored Dr. King and influenced the policy of nonviolent civil disobedience, which Dr. Mays had learned during a 1936 visit with Mahatma Gandhi. A strong orator, Dr. Mays delivered the eulogy at Dr. King's funeral; and

 

Whereas, Dr. Mays was also heavily engaged in service to the nation. In 1950, President Harry Truman appointed Dr. Mays to the Mid-Century White House Conference on Children and Youth. He later became an advisor to several presidents, including John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Jimmy Carter. Dr. Mays also was appointed to represent the United States at the National Advisory Councils of the Peace Corps and the United Nations. He also served as a member of the United States National Commission for UNESCO; and

 

Whereas, Dr. Mays earned many awards during his lifetime, including an honorary degree from Lander University in 1974 in his hometown of Greenwood. He was also inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame and was the second African American to have his portrait hung in the South Carolina State House; and

 

Whereas, Dr. Mays died in 1984, just before his ninetieth birthday. He left a legacy of leadership and dedication to ministry, civil rights, and education that still stands today; and

 

Whereas, it would be only fitting and proper to pay tribute to this son of South Carolina by naming a portion of road in the State in his honor.  Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

 

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, request that the Department of Transportation name the portion of South Main Street from the Georgia Pacific Facility to the Old Nantex Building at Clayton Street in McCormick County the "Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Memorial Highway" and erect appropriate markers or signs at this location containing the designation.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation and presented to the mayor of McCormick, Roy Smith Jr., the executive officer of the Mims Foundation, Dr. James A. Franklin Sr., and pastor of Bethany Missionary Baptist Church, Reverend Keith Gordon.

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