We've watched a parade of activists march through Palm Beach County for more than a decade. And for much of that time, the late Sam McGhee was a hero to many of us. He was a man of dignity, a man of dedication and a man who never stopped marching toward the prize of opportunity for everyone in his community.
Always willing to lend a helping hand, Sam served his community by participating on boards of various Civic Organizations, including: Co-founder and Past President of Suncoast Chamber of Commerce, South County Urban League, Dreher Park Zoo, City of Delray Beach Affordable Housing Commission, and Little League Baseball coach. He also started the Minority Contractors Association of Palm Beach County, which challenged the county to hire more minority-owned businesses.
Sam served his church joyfully, as a Trustee and Chairman of the Building Committee. After 23 years with IBM, Sam retired in 1993 to devote himself to these and other worthy projects. Sam was an active voice in the black community who recognized the need to revitalize Delray's black neighborhoods by encouraging homeownership and improving small businesses. When he couldn't get his vision fulfilled through existing organizations, he created his own. Through the Delray Beach Center for Technology, Enterprise and Development, which he started in 1992, he sought grants to buy land and, later, for business classes, entrepreneurial workshops and mentor programs for entrepreneurs.
As a dedicated and devoted Christian, Sam's commitment and relationship with Christ was evident in his community service and his relationship with family and friends. No one was ever a stranger to Sam; they were only a friend he had yet to meet.
He looked at Delray and could see he could make a difference. We're proud to have been his friend and pray that the lessons of his life will live on in all of us he touched along the way.
The Samuel D. McGhee Endowment Fund has been established in Sam's name to provide scholarships to economically disadvantaged youth of Delray Beach and surrounding areas.
