Lander University Professor of History Kevin Witherspoon has been named the inaugural holder of the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair.
With his selection, Witherspoon will teach a newly-created course on Mays and the evolution of civil rights in the United States each academic year. Witherspoon will also coordinate special events that celebrate the many contributions Mays made through joint projects between Lander and the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, including opportunities for Lander students through internships and research.
The Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair was created in 2020 through a gift to The Lander Foundation from Doug and Sally Kauffmann. Doug is the former chair of The Lander Foundation board of directors and Sally is a 1975 alumna. The Kauffmanns' gift created the second-ever endowed chair at Lander University and the first in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Mike Worley, Executive Director of The Lander Foundation, said, "Their transformative gift will help continue the work of Mays in the Greenwood region, South Carolina and beyond. The Kauffmanns' investment in this Chair is a direct reflection of their commitment to elevating the important intersection of higher education with social justice issues."
The Kauffmanns, of Greenwood, were motivated to learn more about Mays after attending a 2017 panel discussion at Lander on Mays's life that was co-sponsored by the Mays Site. "That event ignited an interest within us about Dr. Mays," explained Doug. "He's so undervalued in spite of his contributions, and in my mind, he's the greatest person the state of South Carolina has ever produced. Through his personal work ethic, character and drive, he achieved the American dream."
Witherspoon explains, "Dr. Mays, who has been called the 'Schoolmaster of the Civil Rights Movement' for his mentorship of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and many other civil rights leaders, represents the very best that higher education has to offer: courage, wisdom, academic rigor and a ceaseless drive for equality and fairness. As much as one can, I aspire to follow the example he set for all of us." He added, "In that tradition, I am humbled and honored to have been named the inaugural holder of the Mays Endowed Chair and deeply grateful to the donors who made it possible."
Mays was born in Greenwood County in 1894. The son of former slaves, his childhood was touched by acts of racial violence and forced segregation in the American South. Having witnessed angry mobs and lynchings, Mays realized that he wanted something better and developed an insatiable desire to get an education. Angering his father by leaving the farm, Mays headed to attend Bates College in Maine and later earned a doctorate from the University of Chicago. Mays would go on to serve as president of Morehouse College for 28 years, where he became a mentor and close friend to King. He delivered King's final eulogy following the civil rights leader's assassination in 1968. Mays was a frequent speaker on civil rights and equality and served as an adviser to U.S. presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Carter.
In 1974, then-Lander College presented an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree to Mays. "Dr. Mays was greatly honored to have Dr. Larry Jackson (President of Lander College) bestow the Doctor of Humanities degree upon him. To Dr. Mays, it was like a commemoration that his life had come full circle. It was a confirmation that his life and efforts were not in vain," said Chris Thomas, director of the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site.
"Dr. Witherspoon joined the Lander faculty in 2006 and continues to provide excellence in teaching, research, and service to the university," said Dr. Scott Jones, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Lander. "His expertise in the history of the 20th century and publications that tie to the topics of race and civil rights enable him to teach a course on Dr. Mays, and he has a record of coordinating high-quality programs for our campus and local community. Dr. Witherspoon has already built a strong relationship with the Mays Site, work that began when he led a U.S. Department of Education multi-year grant for enhancing the teaching of American history to teachers across the Lakelands. Dr. Witherspoon is prepared to fulfill the donors' wishes to bring more attention to Benjamin Mays, and Lander is excited to draw our collective attention to this educator and role model."