Benjamin Mays was a prominent African American educator, minister, and civil rights activist. He was born in 1894 in South Carolina. Mays held various academic positions throughout his career, including serving as the president of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1940 to 1967.

Mays was a mentor to many Civil Rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr. He was a proponent of nonviolent resistance and played a significant role in shaping King's philosophy and approach to social justice. Mays preached equality and justice in his sermons and speeches, and he was a powerful voice for the advancement of African Americans in higher education and society.

Throughout his life, Benjamin Mays received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to education and civil rights, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981. He passed away in 1984, leaving a lasting legacy as a trailblazer in the fight for equality and justice for all.