Recipients

Anne Marie Glawe was a dedicated educator and the primary driving force behind the relationship between Greenwood District 50 and Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site. A teacher for gifted students, she spent years educating children about Dr. Mays' life and was instrumental in the 2020 renaming of Springfield Elementary to Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Elementary School. Glawe believed the story of Dr. Mays—a "hometown hero" and mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—needed to be told to local students. For over seven years, she led all-day field trips to the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site to help students experience his history firsthand. In 2019, she was the inaugural recipient of the Mays Legacy Award from Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site for her commitment to preserving his history.

Reverend Doug and Sally Kauffmann are longtime Greenwood, South Carolina, community leaders and philanthropists known for their dedicated efforts to preserve the legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays. In 2020, the Kauffmanns provided a transformative gift to Lander University to establish the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair, the first of its kind in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. The endowment supports an annual course at Lander University focused on Mays and the evolution of civil rights in the United States. In 2021, the Kauffmanns received the "Mays Legacy" award for their contributions to elevating the intersection of higher education and social justice. They have been described as "huge fans" and "dear friends" of the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site, supporting its mission to educate the public about the mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King.  

Dr. Randal Maurice Jelks is a prominent historian and biographer who has played a central role in preserving and interpreting the legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays. Jelks authored the definitive biography, Benjamin Elijah Mays, Schoolmaster of the Movement (2012), which repositioned Mays as a critical intellectual and theological architect of the civil rights movement. Jelks, a Professor of African and African American Studies, has dedicated much of his career to ensuring Mays is recognized "in and of himself" rather than just as King's mentor. In 2021, he was a 10^th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Dr. Orville Vernon Burton and Dr. Benjamin E. Mays are deeply connected through their shared South Carolina roots and mutual commitment to civil rights and education. Dr. Burton, a renowned historian and professor at Clemson University, has spent much of his career documenting and preserving the legacy of Dr. Mays, often referred to as the "Schoolmaster of the Civil Rights Movement". Dr. Burton edited and wrote the foreword for the University of Georgia Press edition of Mays’ autobiography, Born to Rebel. Dr. Burton was the recipient of The Benjamin E. Mays Legacy Award in 2021, recognizing his lifetime of work in the humanities and his dedication to Mays' principles. In 2025, the Benjamin E. Mays Historic Preservation Site in Greenwood, SC, dedicated The Dr. Orville Vernon Burton Research Library in his honor, after he contributed his extensive personal academic collection to the site.

Dr. John Herbert Roper, Sr.is a prominent historian who authored The Magnificent Mays: A Biography of Benjamin Elijah Mays. His work explores the life of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays (1894–1984), a pivotal civil rights leader, theologian, and president of Morehouse College, highlighting his role as a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. and a key advocate against racial segregation. Roper’s work chronicles how Mays, born to former slaves in South Carolina, rose to become a global intellectual and the "spiritual godfather" of the Civil Rights Movement. Roper’s biography is credited with capturing the "complexity, tension, and contingency" of Mays's experience. He actively participates in preserving this legacy, such as serving as a panelist for the Benjamin E. Mays Historic Site in Greenwood, South Carolina, where he discusses Mays's life with other scholars. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

The Self Family Foundation has been a pivotal supporter in preserving the legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, particularly in his birthplace of Greenwood, South Carolina. A "Signature Project" for the foundation was providing essential funding to relocate and restore Dr. Mays' childhood home. The structure was previously being used as a hay barn and faced severe deterioration before the foundation intervened to help establish the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historic Preservation Site. The foundation worked alongside GLEAMNS and the South Carolina Palmetto Conservation Foundation to transform the endangered home into a museum and educational center. They continue to advocate for the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historic Preservation Site to ensure the site has a reliable source of operating revenue for future generations. They recently supported the Lander University premiere of a new documentary narrated by the late Louis Gossett Jr., which explores Dr. Mays' life and his role as the "intellectual father" of the Civil Rights Movement.  In 2021, they were a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

The Nicholsons are prominent contemporary leaders who have dedicated much of their work to preserving and promoting the legacy of Dr. Mays, a Greenwood native. As President of the Self Family Foundation, she has been a "tremendous friend and supporter" of the site since its inception. Senator Floyd Nicholson: A former state senator and the first Black mayor of Greenwood, has been a key advocate for the site, raising significant monies for the site, and often serving as a keynote speaker for events honoring Dr. Mays' legacy. In 2021, the Nicholsons received the "Mays Legacy" award for their contributions in establishing, promoting, and preserving the Mays Site and the legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays.

Dr. Lawrence Edward Carter Sr. is a renowned scholar and dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College, known for advancing the legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays. As a leading expert on Mays, Carter authored the pivotal 1998 book Walking Integrity: Benjamin Elijah Mays, Mentor to Martin Luther King, Jr. and promotes Mays’s "Five Wells". He frequently delivers keynote addresses and servers on panels at events honoring him, such as the 2017 statue unveiling at the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

The relationship between Dr. Otis Moss, Jr. and Dr. Benjamin E. Mays is one of the most profound examples of mentorship in the American Civil Rights Movement. Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., was a student and protégé of Dr. Mays at Morehouse College, where he earned his B.A. in 1956. Dr. Moss has spent decades preserving Mays’ legacy, frequently delivering keynote addresses at events honoring him, such as the 2017 statue unveiling at the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Dr. Zachary Williams is a prominent scholar of African American history whose work significantly contributes to preserving and interpreting the legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays. As a native of Greenwood, South Carolina (the birthplace of Dr. Mays) and a former associate professor at the University of Akron, Dr. Williams has been a key figure in the development and national reputation of the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site. Dr. Williams has actively participated in panels and scholarly initiatives to ensure this legacy reaches new generations, particularly through the Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Home County: GREENWOOD
House District 12 - Greenwood, McCormick

Former South Carolina Representative J. Anne Parks has been a pivotal figure in preserving and promoting the legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, a Greenwood native. During her tenure in the S.C. House of Representatives (1998–2022), Parks actively championed legislative efforts to honor Mays, including sponsoring a joint resolution to create the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Monument Commission to place a monument on the State House grounds. Parks’ work aligns with the mission of local preservationists to keep Mays’ story alive in his home county. In 2021, she was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Dr. Samuel DuBois Cook (1928–2017) entered Morehouse College at age 15, was a student and close protégé of Mays during the latter's legendary presidency at the institution. When Cook's father passed away in 1947, Mays personally helped him secure the financial aid necessary to continue his studies at Morehouse. The relationship between the two men was foundational to Cook’s career and moral philosophy. The Samuel DuBois Cook Papers at Duke University include extensive research and draft materials on Mays, preserving his mentor's ideas for future generations. Cook's final major publication was titled Benjamin E. Mays: His Life, Contributions, and Legacy (2009), which serves as a definitive resource on Mays' impact. Reflecting their deep bond. Mays chose Cook to deliver his eulogy upon his death in 1984. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

When Hank Aaron became the first African American to play for a major Southern metropolitan team (the Atlanta Braves), he faced immense racial hostility. Dr. Mays, then President of Morehouse College, became a close friend and mentor, helping Aaron navigate these "tough times". Dr. Mays was an "ardent Braves fan" who frequently cleared his schedule to watch Aaron play at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Dr. Mays’ commitment to education and social justice deeply inspired the Aarons' own philanthropic work, specifically their focus on providing opportunities for underserved youth.  The Chasing the Dream Foundation, founded by the Aarons, this foundation mirrors Dr. Mays’ philosophy by providing scholarships to help children "become more than even they can imagine".

Billye Aaron has remained a staunch advocate for Dr. Mays’ legacy, speaking about his "tremendous impact" on education and his quiet work to advance Morehouse College. In 2021, they were 10th anniversary recipients of the Mays Legacy Award.

Ambassador Andrew Young views Dr. Benjamin E. Mays as the "intellectual conscience" and foundational mentor of the Civil Rights Movement, famously stating that without Mays, there would be no Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. Young credits Mays with developing a vision for education as a "pathway to fulfill the destiny of an entire nation," moving beyond individual success to collective service. Young served as the keynote speaker at the 2011 dedication of the Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina, emphasizing that the movement's roots were planted in Mays’ humble beginnings as the child of former slaves.

Ambassador Young’s documentary Change in the Wind explores the secret 1940s friendship and correspondence between Gone With the Wind author Margaret Mitchell and Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, president of the historically Black Morehouse College. Despite the era's rigid segregation, Mitchell anonymously funded the medical educations of dozens of Black students at Morehouse, prompted by her concern over racial health disparities. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Lerone Bennett Jr. (1928–2018) was a graduate of Morehouse who became one of the most influential Black historians of the 20th century. The two men shared a vision of "manhood" and "excellence" that Mays preached at Morehouse and Bennett amplified through mass media. Bennett often cited the "Bennie Mays tradition" as the root of his commitment to dignity and racial integrity. As the executive editor of Ebony magazine, he used the platform to popularize Black history for millions of readers. Bennett often wrote about Mays' impact in his historical works and even collaborated on projects, such as providing the text for biographies of King where Mays provided the introduction. Championing Mays as “The Last of the Great School Masters”.  The phrase was popularized in a December 1977 Ebony article titled "The Last of the Great Schoolmasters," featuring a now-iconic photograph of Mays in his office, captured by G. Marshall Wilson. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Dr. Larry Jackson and Dr. Benjamin E. Mays shared a profound professional and personal bond rooted in their mutual commitment to education, human rights, and the city of Greenwood, South Carolina. As the longtime president of Lander University (then Lander College), Dr. Jackson was a key figure in honoring Mays’ legacy, notably bestowing him with an honorary doctorate—his 34th—at Jackson's 1974 inauguration. Dr. Jackson was instrumental in the 1981 dedication of Mays Crossroads in Epworth, where Mays confirmed the location of his birthplace to Jackson and other leaders. Both men were dedicated to "building bridges of understanding" between races. Jackson’s own commitment to human rights was deeply influenced by his friendship with Mays and his own international advocacy. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Former United States Representative

William Jennings Bryan Dorn and Benjamin E. Mays were two prominent South Carolinians who, despite coming from different racial backgrounds and eras of the state's history, shared a legacy of public service, moral leadership, and a deep connection to the rural South. Dorn was an early vocal advocate for the legacy of Dr. Mays in their hometown of Greenwood, SC. The two figures' lives intersected on November 6, 1981, at the dedication of "Mays Crossroads" in South Carolina. Dorn attended the event alongside other notables like Coretta Scott King to honor Mays in his birthplace. Dorn’s personal papers, held by the University of South Carolina Political Collections, include rare audio of Mays’ final passionate speech from that day. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Dr. Joseph Patton III, former CEO of GLEAMNS Human Resources Commission, played a key role in preserving the legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays. As CEO of GLEAMNS, he helped facilitate the protection and promotion of the Benjamin E. Mays Historic Site. Patton oversaw the 2004 relocation of Dr. Mays’ deteriorating birth home from Epworth to Greenwood. He also brought the Burns Spring School to the site to serve as a representation of the one-room schoolhouse Mays attended as a child. He was responsible for overseeing the curating of the museum on the site, which chronicles Mays' life from "meager beginnings" to becoming a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. and president of Morehouse College. Following the site’s public opening in April 2011, Patton served as its director until his retirement in 2016, dedicated to using the site as an inspiration for local youth. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, born in 1894 in the Epworth community of Greenwood County, South Carolina, is celebrated as the "intellectual father" and "schoolmaster" of the American Civil Rights Movement. His legacy in his home county is anchored by the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historic Preservation Site, which serves as a museum and educational hub. County officials have supported the Mays Site since its inception. The site recently added a 2,800-square-foot auditorium and the Dr. Orville Vernon Burton Research Library to facilitate larger gatherings and academic study of his work. The project was funded by a gift from Greenwood County as part of their 2016 penny sales tax initiative.  In 2021, Greenwood County, South Carolina, was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Dr. Clinton E. Warner Jr. (1924–2012): A distinguished physician and civil rights activist in Atlanta. He was a graduate of Morehouse College and Meharry Medical College, and a mentee of Dr. Mays. Dr. Mays knew Dr. Warner from his birth in 1924 on the Morehouse campus, where Mays was teaching, and later when he was a student.

She met her husband while working at the Hughes Spalding Pavilion. Sally J. Warner, as secretary and estate administrator for Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, was instrumental in preserving the legacy of the renowned educator and civil rights leader. In recent years, she has served as a primary guardian of his legacy, acting as the administrator of his estate, and executive producer for a documentary about his life. Also working extensively with the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site. In 2021, they were 10th anniversary recipients of the Mays Legacy Award.

Dr. Robert Franklin, as former president of Morehouse College, has acted as a key steward of the legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, mentoring a new generation on the "moral leadership," intellectual rigor, and social justice activism that defined Mays’s 27-year tenure and his mentorship of Martin Luther King Jr.. Dr. Franklin served as the 10th President of Morehouse College (2007–2012) and has dedicated his career to upholding the "Mays Model" of leadership. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Loy Sartin is a historian and the Director/Curator Emeritus of the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historic Preservation Site in Greenwood, South Carolina. He has dedicated nearly two decades to preserving the legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays. Sartin played a foundational role in establishing the physical site dedicated to Dr. Mays' early life. In 2010, after a 29-year Air Force career, Sartin volunteered to set up the historic site. Over 13 months, he furnished the birth home, schoolhouse, and the Mays Museum. Then he served as the director and curator until his retirement in 2016. In 2021, he was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

Carrie Dumas, along with co-author Julie Hunter, chronicled the life of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays in the book "Benjamin Elijah Mays: A Pictorial Life and Times". Through extensive research, interviews, and photo collection, Dumas documented the legacy of the renowned educator, mentor to Martin Luther King Jr., and civil rights leader. Published by Mercer University Press in 2006, this work contains over 100 images detailing Dr. Mays' career from his early years to his tenure at Morehouse College. To complete this chronicle, Dumas spent several years conducting extensive research and interviewing individuals whose lives were directly impacted by Dr. Mays' mentorship. Her work draws from numerous archival sources to present a vivid, chronological history of one of America's most influential educators.

Beyond her writing, Dumas has actively sought to bring Dr. Mays’ story to modern audiences through digital media. In 2021, she was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

City of Greenwood

The City of Greenwood honors Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, a renowned educator, mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and key Civil Rights leader born near Epworth in 1894, through their continued promotion of the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site. In 2021, the City of Greenwood was a 10th anniversary recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

In 1953, under the leadership of then-Superintendent Gettys D. Broome, the Benjamin E. Mays Consolidated School was built.  The Cowpens and Pacolet school districts had been consolidated and the district constructed two new African American schools.  Ralph J. Bunche Elementary served Cowpens African American children in grades 1-6. The Benjamin E. Mays Consolidated School served African American elementary students in Pacolet, grades 1-6, and all African American students in the district in grades 7-12.  

After the closing of the Benjamin E. Mays Consolidated School in 1970, it became Pacolet Middle School, serving grades 4-8.  In 1976, it retained the name of Pacolet Middle School but served grades 3-6.  Major renovations took place in 1983, and the school reopened its doors that fall as Pacolet Junior High School, serving grades 7-9.  In 1993, the district moved to the middle school concept, serving grades 6-8.

During the transition to the middle school concept, the school was renamed Middle School of Pacolet.  In 1998, the Benjamin E. Mays Renaming Committee, made up of members of the Benjamin E. Mays Alumni Association and chaired by Vivian Teamer, met with Dr. Jim Ray, Board Chairperson Larry Hodge and board member Sterling Farr, to formerly request the name of Middle School of Pacolet be returned to its original name of Benjamin E. Mays Middle School. The tireless efforts of the Benjamin E. Mays Alumni Association to return the Benjamin E. Mays Consolidated School back to its original name have been instrumental in preserving a significate part of the legacy of Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays. The preservation of the history of the first school in the nation named in honor of Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays. In 2023, the Benjamin E. Mays Alumni Association was the recipient of the Mays Legacy Award.

The connection between Mayor Brandon Smith and Dr. Benjamin E. Mays is rooted in a dedicated effort to honor Mays as a "native son" of Greenwood, South Carolina. Mayor Smith, an attorney who has served as the mayor of Greenwood since 2018, has been a primary catalyst in elevating Mays’ legacy within his home county.

In the fall of 2019, Mayor Smith challenged the Greenwood School District 50 board to rename a local school after Mays. He argued that after reading Mays' autobiography, it became clear the community was not doing enough to recognize a man who became a global figure and the "intellectual father" of the Civil Rights Movement.

In February 2020, the board unanimously voted to rename Springfield Elementary to Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Elementary School. Mayor Smith described the honor as "past due," noting that 120 years ago, such a recognition for a Black leader in that area would have been unthinkable.

In 2026, Mayor Brandon Smith was one of the 15th anniversary recipients of the Mays Legacy Award.   

Left Side of the Lion Media is the production company behind the award-winning documentary, The Legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays. Produced by an Atlanta-based team including executive producers Sally J. Warner (Mays' former secretary) and Ron Worthem, director Michael Wells, and producer Todd Bethel, the film honors the "Schoolmaster of the Civil Rights Movement" through archival footage, interviews, and AI-reproduced sound of Dr. Mays' own voice. A multi-year documentary project narrated by the late Louis Gossett Jr., the film focuses on Dr. Mays’ roots in Greenwood County, SC, and his national impact.

Other crew members include writers Danielle Bryn, Aaron Patrick Lenyear, and Ian Trutt; Assoc. Producer Panina Monae; Editors Alex Hibbert, Mario Daye, and Malcolm Lawson, Jr.; Asst. Directors Nachele Hemphill and Mario Daye; camera operators Jamal Scott, Rory Christian, and Manson Thomas; Prod. Assistants Quincy Fleming and Walter Parker, Jr.; key grip Kahli Hemphill; sound David Overs; Digital Imagery Levon Worthem-Spruill and Alex Hibbert; Soundtrack Panina Monae; hair & makeup Amber Bethel; and interviewer David Geter.

In 2026, Left Side of the Lion Media was one of the 15th anniversary recipients of the Mays Legacy Award.

Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair, Lander Univ.

Dr. Witherspoon has been bringing students and teachers to the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site since it was first opened in 2011. In 2020, Dr. Witherspoon was named as the inaugural Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair at Lander University. In this role, Dr. Witherspoon engages in a variety of activities each year, including teaching a course titled Civil Rights & Benjamin Mays (HIST 350), which explores Mays' role as a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his influence on American society.

He frequently delivers presentations, such as "It is a Calamity not to Dream: Life Lessons from Dr. Benjamin E. Mays," which translate Mays' historical significance into actionable life lessons for modern audiences. Dr. Witherspoon coordinates field trips for students and local teachers to the Mays Site and other key Civil Rights Trail locations like Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, and he supervises student interns who work at the Site.

In 2026, Dr. Kevin B. Witherspoon was one of the 15th anniversary recipients of the Mays Legacy Award.

On March 30, 1974, Lander University (then Lander College) conferred on Dr. Benjamin E. Mays an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities degree. Mays stated, “You honor me today more than my mind can imagine, more than my will can determine, and more than my heart can feel. When I consider what Black-White relations were like in our County and in the South seven decades ago, I can only say, “What hath God Wrought?”

Since then, Lander University has maintained a deep connection to Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, a Greenwood County native often called the "Schoolmaster of the Civil Rights Movement". This partnership preserves his legacy as a spiritual and intellectual mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through academic programs, scholarships, and historical preservation.

The university frequently co-hosts milestone events, such as the 2017 panel discussion that took place on Friday, November 3, 2017, in the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center Auditorium. Titled "The Life and Legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays," the event was part of a larger weekend celebration honoring the Greenwood native and "Schoolmaster of the Movement". The panel featured Dr. Lawrence Edward Carter Sr. (Founding Dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College), Dr. Orville Vernon Burton (Leading historian at Clemson University), Dr. John Herbert (Jack) Roper (Author of The Magnificent Mays: A Biography of Benjamin Elijah Mays), Dr. Otis Moss Jr. (Renowned theologian and mentee of Dr. Mays), and Dr. Zachary Williams (Scholar and historian).

Lander recently hosted the premiere of a new documentary film (The Legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays), narrated by Louis Gossett Jr., that highlights Mays' impact on the movement.

Lander offers specific financial aid and experiential learning focused on Dr. Mays' mission of education and leadership: (1) Benjamin Mays Scholarship: Awarded to full-time African American students from South Carolina, with priority given to Greenwood County residents. (2) Upsilon Eta Brother Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Scholarship (Men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity): Established in 2020 by the brothers of Upsilon Eta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity to support student education. (3) Lander University offers a specific course titled “Civil Rights and the Legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays” (HIST 350).  (4) An ENGL 205: Readings in Southern Literature class that focuses on the writings of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays. (5) The Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Civil Rights Legacy Tour (a three-day trip to Selma, AL and Montgomery, AL), (4) Internships at GLEAMNS Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site. (5) Tour of the Mays Site from Lander history classes, sociology classes  

In 2026, Lander University was one of the 15th anniversary recipients of the Mays Legacy Award.