Benjamin Mays

Benjamin Mays was a prominent African American Baptist minister, educator, and civil rights activist who played a significant role in the American Civil Rights Movement. He was a close friend and mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy, and served as the president of Morehouse College from 1940 to 1967. Mays was also a prominent figure in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He worked closely with other notable figures, including W.E.B. Du Bois, Thurgood Marshall, and A. Philip Randolph.

● Early Life and Education

Benjamin Mays was born on August 1, 1894, in Epworth, South Carolina, to former slaves Hezekiah Mays and Louvenia Carter Mays. He grew up in a family of sharecroppers and attended Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, before transferring to Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia. Mays later attended University of Chicago, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, and then went on to earn his Master of Arts degree from University of Chicago. He also attended Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois, and was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1921. Mays' early life and education were influenced by notable figures such as Booker T. Washington and William Edward Burghardt Du Bois.

● Career

Mays began his career as a teacher and minister in Birmingham, Alabama, and later became the dean of the School of Religion at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. He also served as the pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and was a prominent figure in the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.. Mays was a close friend and colleague of Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, the president of Howard University, and worked with other notable figures, including Mary McLeod Bethune and Langston Hughes. He was also influenced by the works of W.E.B. Du Bois and Carter G. Woodson.

● Presidency of Morehouse College

In 1940, Mays became the president of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, a position he held until 1967. During his presidency, Mays worked to improve the college's academic programs and faculty, and increased the college's enrollment and endowment. He also played a significant role in the development of the Atlanta University Center, which included Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University. Mays worked closely with other notable figures, including John Hope and Samuel DuBois Cook, to promote African American education and civil rights. He was also a strong supporter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

● Civil Rights Activism

Mays was a prominent figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, and worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. and other notable civil rights leaders, including Ralph Abernathy, Fred Shuttlesworth, and Andrew Young. He was a key figure in the Birmingham Campaign and the Selma to Montgomery Marches, and played a significant role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Mays also worked with other notable figures, including Thurgood Marshall and Constance Baker Motley, to promote civil rights and social justice. He was a strong supporter of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Congress of Racial Equality.

● Legacy

Benjamin Mays' legacy is one of educational excellence and civil rights activism. He played a significant role in the development of Morehouse College and the Atlanta University Center, and was a prominent figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. Mays was awarded numerous honorary degrees from institutions, including Harvard University, Yale University, and University of California, Berkeley. He was also awarded the Spingarn Medal by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1982. Mays' legacy continues to be celebrated by notable figures, including Barack Obama, Jesse Jackson, and Andrew Young.

● Personal Life

Mays was married to Sadie Gray Mays from 1926 until her death in 1969. He later married Margaret McIntyre Mays in 1975. Mays was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and was awarded the Alpha Phi Alpha Award of Honor in 1978. He died on March 28, 1984, in Atlanta, Georgia, and was buried in the Morehouse College cemetery. Mays' personal life and legacy continue to be celebrated by notable figures, including Maynard Jackson and Julian Bond. Category:American educators