South Carolina S 998: Electricity Market Reform Measures Study Committee

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 998 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 10, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

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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