Louis E. Martin facts for kids

Louis Emanuel Martin Jr. (born November 18, 1912 – died January 27, 1997) was an important American journalist and newspaper publisher. He was also a strong supporter of civil rights and advised three U.S. Presidents. Because of his work during the civil rights era, he was known as the "Godfather of Black Politics."

Early Life and Education

Louis Martin Jr. was born in Shelbyville, Tennessee. His parents were Dr. Louis E. Martin Sr. and Willa Martin. When Louis Jr. was four, his family moved to Savannah, Georgia, where he grew up. His father was a doctor with Afro-Cuban roots.

Louis Jr. first attended Fisk University. He then went to the University of Michigan and graduated in 1934. He earned a degree in journalism there.

A Career in Newspapers

After college, Martin spent two years in Havana, Cuba, as a freelance writer. He returned to the U.S. in 1936 and became a reporter for The Chicago Defender. This was a major newspaper for Black communities in Chicago, Illinois.

Just six months later, he moved to Michigan. He helped start a new Black newspaper called the Michigan Chronicle. He was its first editor and publisher for eleven years.

Louis Martin also helped create the National Newspaper Publishers Association. This group brought together Black newspaper publishers. In 1970, he co-founded the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, D.C.. This group helped Black elected officials and scholars. He was its first chairman for eight years.

Working in Politics

In 1960, Louis Martin joined the presidential campaign of John F. Kennedy. He played a key role in convincing Kennedy to call Coretta Scott King. She was worried because her husband, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was in jail. This phone call helped Kennedy win many Black votes in the election. It even led Dr. King's father, a Republican, to vote for Kennedy.

After President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, Martin continued to advise the new President, Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1967, Martin helped President Johnson decide to nominate Thurgood Marshall. Marshall became the first Black Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Martin was a close advisor to President Johnson. They understood each other well, like experienced political experts. Clifford Alexander Jr., a special White House counsel, looked up to Martin as his mentor. Martin also helped other important Black leaders, like Vernon E. Jordan Jr., who later advised President Bill Clinton. Martin helped Jordan become the head of the National Urban League.

Even though he had a big impact, many people didn't know about Louis Martin. Eddie Williams, president of the Joint Center, said Martin was a "political insider." He worked behind the scenes without seeking attention for his achievements. The The Washington Post newspaper first called him the "Godfather of Black Politics."

Louis Martin died on January 27, 1997, in Orange, California. He was 84 years old.

Personal Life

Martin was a Catholic. He was a member of Little Flower Catholic Church in Bethesda, Maryland. He married Gertrude Scott, and they had five children.

Career Highlights

• Michigan Chronicle, editor and publisher, 1936–47
• Chicago Defender, editor-in-chief, 1947–59, editor, 1969–78, columnist, 1987–97
• Democratic National Committee, deputy chairman, 1960–69
• Political advisor to President John F. Kennedy, 1960–63
• Political advisor to President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963–68
• Special assistant to President Jimmy Carter, 1978–81
• Assistant vice president of communications, Howard University, 1981–87
• Chairman of the board, Calmar Communications, 1981–97

Awards and Honors

Awards

• National Urban League, Equal Opportunity Award, 1979
• National Newspaper Publishers Association, John B. Russwurm Award, 1980
• Howard University, Communications Award, 1987
• Democratic Party, Larry O'Brien Achievement Award, 1992

Honorary Degrees

• Wilberforce University, 1951
• Harvard, 1970
• Howard University, 1979
• Wesleyan University, 1980