Griffin Speaks

DR. BENJAMIN MAYS

When I was a little boy growing up in Rocky Mount, North Carolina I remember being awaken by my father on several Sunday mornings to watch Dr. Benjamin Mays, as he appeared on the television show FACE THE NATION. Dr. Mays was the President of Morehouse College.

Dr. Mays was born in 1895 in South Carolina, and graduated from Bates College in Maine in 1920. He received his masters degree and doctorate from the University of Chicago. He was an ordained Baptist minister.

Dr. Mays became president of my alma mater, Morehouse College on July 1st, 1940 upon the recommendation of Charles Dubois Hubert. Dr. Mays served as President of the college for twenty-seven years. He was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s’ mentor. When he retired being permitted to handpick his successor honored him. He chose his former faculty member, Dr. Hugh Morris Gloster.

Dr. Mays’ autobiography Born to Rebel sold more than twenty-five thousand hardback copies. I am proud to have an autographed copy in my personal library. Dr. Mays delivered the eulogy at the funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr. before a crowd of 200,000 people and world television coverage on the campus of Morehouse College, April 9th, 1968. Dr. King had handpicked Dr. Mays to deliver his eulogy in the event of his death.

During his life Dr. Mays received 500 awards and honors. He died on March 28th, 1984. He was affectionately called “Buck Benny”. He obtained this nickname from students because he raised student tuition at the college.

Dr. Mays was one of the most extraordinary men I have ever met in my life. In November, 1976, I was walking pass Wheeler Hall when Dr. Wendell Whalum, a distinguished professor at Morehouse called out to me and said, “Young man, How would you like to accompany Dr. Benjamin Mays and me to the Omni?” I knew that this was election night and Jimmy Carter was going to be there waiting on the results of the 1976 Presidential Election. I responded quickly with, “Yes Sir I would love to go.” I couldn’t believe that I would be riding in the same car with my father’s mentor, Dr. Benjamin Mays.

When I entered the car, I immediately introduced myself to Dr. Mays and told him that he was my father’s mentor. He got a big kick out of my story about my being awakened to view him on Face the Nation when I was a little boy.

I was standing next to Dr. Mays when president-elect Jimmy Carter came to the podium and gave his victory speech. At that time I still had my dream of becoming the first Black President of the United States. I said to myself, “Dr. Mays doesn’t even realize that he is standing next to America’s first Black President.” We stayed at the Omni for a short period after Jimmy Carter’s speech then we returned to campus. Dr. Whalum dropped me off at Graves Hall my freshman dormitory before he drove Dr. Mays home. I told Dr. Mays that I would like to get to know him better. He said that He would welcome the opportunity to know me better.

During my matriculation at Morehouse I got the opportunity to know Dr. Mays and draw upon his wisdom. I recommend the reading of his many books and essays. My favorite is his autobiography, BORN TO REBEL.

My favorite Dr. Mays quote is: “THE TRAGEDY OF LIFE DOESN’T LIE IN NOT REACHING YOUR GOAL. THE TRAGEDY LIES IN HAVING NO GOAL TO REACH. IT ISN’T A CALAMITY TO DIE WITH DREAMS UNFILLED, BUT IT IS A CLALMITY NOT TO DREAM. IT IS NOT A DISGRACE NOT TO REACH THE STARS, BUT IT IS A DISGRACE TO HAVE NO STARS TO REACH FOR, NOT FAILURE, BUT LOW AIM, IS SIN.”

As I take the position as the newly elected President of the Montgomery-Tuskegee Morehouse Alumni Association, I will keep in mind the many things that I learned personally from Dr. Mays.

Greg Griffin is a freelance writer. You can read his previous articles by visiting his web page at www.greggriffin.com