[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 1972-1973]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   SENATE RESOLUTION 23--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
 PRESIDENT SHOULD AWARD THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM POSTHUMOUSLY 
TO DR. BENJAMIN ELIJAH MAYS IN HONOR OF HIS DISTINGUISHED CAREER AS AN 
     EDUCATOR, CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS LEADER, AND PUBLIC THEOLOGIAN

  Mr. CLELAND (for himself, Mr. Miller, and Mr. Hollings) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary, as follows:

                               S. Res. 23

       Whereas Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, throughout his 
     distinguished career of more than half a century as an 
     educator, civil and human rights leader, and public 
     theologian, has inspired people of all races throughout the 
     world by his persistent commitment to excellence;
       Whereas Benjamin Mays persevered, despite the frustrations 
     inherent in segregation, to begin an illustrious career in 
     education;
       Whereas as dean of the School of Religion of Howard 
     University and later as President of Morehouse College in 
     Atlanta, Georgia, for 27 years, Benjamin Mays overcame 
     seemingly insurmountable obstacles to offer quality education 
     to all Americans, especially African Americans;
       Whereas at the commencement of World War II, when most 
     colleges suffered from a lack of available students and the 
     demise of Morehouse College appeared imminent, Benjamin Mays 
     prevented the college from permanently closing its doors by 
     vigorously recruiting potential students and thereby aiding 
     in the development of future generations of African American 
     leaders;
       Whereas Benjamin Mays was instrumental in the elimination 
     of segregated public facilities in Atlanta, Georgia, and 
     promoted the cause of nonviolence through peaceful student 
     protests during a time in this Nation that was often marred 
     by racial violence;
       Whereas Benjamin Mays received numerous accolades 
     throughout his career, including 56 honorary degrees from 
     universities across the United States and abroad and the 
     naming of 7 schools and academic buildings and a street in 
     his honor; and

[[Page 1973]]

       Whereas the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest 
     civilian honor in the Nation, was established in 1945 to 
     appropriately recognize Americans who have made an especially 
     meritorious contribution to the security or national 
     interests of the United States, world peace, or cultural or 
     other significant public or private endeavors: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the 
     President should award the Presidential Medal of Freedom 
     posthumously to Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays in honor of his 
     distinguished career as an educator, civil and human rights 
     leader, and public theologian and his many contributions to 
     the improvement of American society and the world.

  Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President. I rise today to introduce legislation 
that would honor Benjamin Elijah Mays for his distinguished career as 
an educator, civil and human rights leader, and public theologian. 
Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Benjamin E. Mays earned a master's 
degree and a doctorate of philosophy from the University of Chicago, 
served as president of Morehouse College and mentored Martin Luther 
King, Jr., and received numerous awards and honors during his lifetime. 
In recognition of his many accomplishments and contributions to the 
citizens of this nation and the world, I believe the President should 
award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the late Benjamin E. Mays.
  Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays' achievements are even more extraordinary 
given the circumstances and social climate in the United States at the 
turn of the 20th Century. Dr. Mays, the son of former slaves, 
encountered prejudice and obstacles at every stage of his early 
education and pursued his dream of a college education despite hostile, 
and sometimes violent, opposition. Although he faced the frustrations 
inherent in segregation, Dr. Mays finished high school at South 
Carolina State College in three years and graduated as class 
valedictorian. Based on his will to learn, his motivation to succeed, 
and his strong strength of character, Dr. Mays then went on to graduate 
from Bates College in Maine and received his graduate degrees from the 
University of Chicago.
  As dean of the School of Religion at Howard University and later as 
President of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia for 27 years, 
Benjamin Mays overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to offer 
quality education to all Americans, especially African-Americans. One 
of Dr. Mays' own inspirations was Mahatma Gandhi, whom he met in 
Mysore, India for 90 minutes and who shaped Mays' views on nonviolence 
as a means of political protest. Dr. Mays greatly influenced his 
students and, one in particular, Martin Luther King, Jr. sought the 
advice and counsel of his mentor before and during the civil rights 
movement. Dr. Mays was instrumental in the elimination of segregated 
public facilities in Atlanta and promoted the cause of nonviolence 
through peaceful student protests during a time in this nation that was 
often marred by racial violence. Another student from Morehouse, Ira 
Joe Johnson, published a book about Dr. Mays' scholarship program for 
African-American medical students in the early 1940s.
  Dr. Mays once said that ``[e]very man and woman is born into the 
world to do something unique and something distinctive and if he or she 
does not do it, it will never be done.'' This nation owes a great debt 
to the late Dr. Benjamin E. Mays and it is certainly appropriate and 
timely to honor his achievements and his contributions to the citizens 
of the United States and the world by awarding him a Presidential Medal 
of Freedom.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I rise today to bring the country's 
attention to one of its most gifted educators, civil rights leaders and 
theologians, the late Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, and to again encourage 
the President to award Dr. Mays a Presidential Medal of Freedom. Dr. 
Mays lived an extraordinary life that began in a very unextraordinary 
setting. The son of slaves, Dr. Mays grew up in the rural community of 
Epworth, South Carolina where poverty and racism were everyday 
realities and the church was sometimes the only solace to be found. 
Yet, as the title of Dr. Mays' autobiography, ``Born to Rebel'' 
reveals, he was never satisfied with the status quo and looked to 
education as the key to his own success, and later the key to sweeping 
social change.
  After working his way through South Carolina College, Bates College 
and a doctoral program at the University of Chicago, Dr. Mays worked as 
a teacher, an urban league representative and later dean of the School 
of Religion at Howard University here in Washington. Then, in 1940, he 
took the reins at Morehouse College and--to borrow a phrase--the rest 
was history. As President of Morehouse, Dr. Mays took an ailing 
institution and transformed it into one of America's most vital 
academic centers and an epicenter for the growing civil rights 
movement. He was instrumental in the elimination of segregated public 
facilities in Atlanta and promoted the cause of nonviolence through 
peaceful student protests in a time often marred by racial violence. 
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other influential 20th century leaders 
considered Dr. Mays a mentor and scores of colleges and universities--
from Harvard University to Lander University in South Carolina--have 
acknowledged his impressive achievements by awarding him an honorary 
degree.
  After retiring from Morehouse after 27 years, Dr. Mays did not fade 
from the spotlight--far from it. He served as president of the Atlanta 
Board of Education for 12 years, ensuring that new generations of 
children received the same quality education he had fought so hard to 
obtain back in turn-of-the-century South Carolina. Dr. Mays said it 
best in his autobiography: ``Foremost in my life has been my honest 
endeavors to find the truth and proclaim it.'' Now is the time for us 
to proclaim Dr. Benjamin Mays one of our nation's most distinguished 
citizens by awarding him a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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