S 998

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 998
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
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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This web page was last updated on March 10, 2026 at 12:44 PM