Benjamin E. Mays High School is a public school located in southwest Atlanta, Georgia, United States, serving grades 9–12. It is a part of the Atlanta Public School System and is a Georgia School of Excellence. The school was established in the fall of 1981 and was named after Benjamin Elijah Mays, an educator, author and civil rights activist.
The school's athletic nickname is the Raiders.
Contents
History
Southwest High School (1950–1981)
The Atlanta Public Schools formed Southwest High School in 1950. The school was a landmark in the city of Atlanta for 36 years. In 1981, Benjamin E. Mays High School was formed, replacing Southwest High School.
State Championships
1973 GHSA State AA Football Champions
1973 GHSA Boys' State AA Basketball Champions
1974 GHSA Boys' State AA Basketball Champions
1979 GHSA Boys' State AAA Basketball Champions
Mays High School (1981–present)
The high school completed $32 million worth of renovations in January 2012.
On February 14, 2024, four students were shot and wounded in a drive-by shooting in the school's student parking lot. A 14-year-old student was arrested and charged for the shooting.
The Mays High School Raiders athletic teams compete in Region 4-AAAA of the Georgia High School Association.
Mays High offers a wide variety of athletic programs, including varsity girls' softball, varsity boys' track, varsity boys' soccer, varsity football, junior varsity football, freshman football, varsity boys' basketball, junior varsity boys' basketball, varsity girls' basketball, junior varsity girls' basketball, varsity basketball, junior varsity basketball, cheerleading, co-ed step team, varsity boys' swimming, varsity girls' volleyball, and varsity girls' swimming. All home varsity football games, as well as track events, are held at Lakewood Stadium.
State/Region Championships
2001 GHSA AAAA Boys' Track Champions
2003 GHSA AAAA Girls' Basketball Champions
2004 GHSA AAAA Boys' Basketball Champions
2005 GHSA AAAA Boys' Basketball Champions
2014 GHSA State AAAAA Football Runner-Up
2015 GHSA Region 6-AAAAA Football Runner-Up Champions
2016 GHSA Region 5-AAAAAA Football Champions
2017 GHSA Region 5-AAAAAA Football Champions
2017 GHSA State AAAAAA Girls' Basketball Champions
Notable alumni
Tyrell Adams, NFL player
Kelly Campbell, former football player for Georgia Tech and several NFL and CFL teams
Xzavion Curry, Major League Baseball pitcher
Shanti Das, music industry executive, marketing consultant, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author
Andre Dickens, 61st Mayor of Atlanta
De'Mon Glanton, football player
Antonio Grier, NFL linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kwanza Hall, former Congressman
Charles Lee Isbell Jr., dean of the Georgia Institute of Technology College of Computing
Termarr Johnson, 2022 MLB 4th overall draft pick
Tayari Jones, author
Walter Kimbrough, president of Dillard University
Mesha Mainor, State Representative in the Georgia House of Representatives
Bryan McClendon, football coach and former player for Georgia
Ceasar Mitchell, former president of the Atlanta City Council
Adrienne C. Moore, actress
Natrez Patrick, NFL player
Diallo Riddle, writer, producer, and actor