Scope and Content Note
The papers of Louis Emanuel Martin (1912-1997) span the years 1931-1998 with the bulk of the material dating from 1977 to 1993. Most of the collection consists of papers documenting Martin's service as special assistant to President Jimmy Carter and writings, including articles, newspaper columns, and memoirs. Early material concerns Martin's activities as adviser and civil rights liaison during the administrations of presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. While serving as a presidential adviser and as deputy chairman of the Democratic Committee, Martin helped to establish African Americans as a political power in the Democratic Party and encouraged their appointment to policy-making government positions. The papers are organized in the following series: Correspondence, Subject File, and Speeches and Writings File.
The Correspondence series, 1945-1996, consists chiefly of letters concerning Martin's personal and professional interests. Most of the correspondence relates to Martin's work as chairman of Calmar Communications, his interests in politics, and his recollections of the three presidents whom he served. Only a few letters relate to Martin's early political activities. Copies of correspondence pertaining to African American voters and the presidential election of 1964 are attached to a letter of 2 May 1986 from the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library. A copy of a letter to Martin of 18 September 1962 from Martin Luther King, Jr., introduced Donald Louis Anderson as having creative ideas concerning the possibilities of a liberal Democratic Party in the South composed of Black voters and liberal white voters. An unsigned memorandum of 4 September 1968 to Joseph Napolitan recommended ways to mobilize Black voters for Hubert H. Humphrey, such as utilizing Jackie Robinson in a campaign tour against Richard M. Nixon. The series also includes congratulatory correspondence pertaining to honors bestowed upon Martin.
The Subject File, 1936-1997, includes correspondence, scheduling files, and press materials documenting Martin's service as an adviser and liaison for President Carter to the African American community. While working in the White House from 1978-1981, Martin also periodically sent out a bulletin entitled Fact Sheet reporting on the administration's activities and accomplishments of interest to the African American community. The Subject File also includes oral history interviews relating to Martin's civil rights activities and his service with three Democratic presidents. Although Martin was a cofounder of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, there is no material relating to the founding of that research organization.
The Speeches and Writings File, 1931-1998, consists mainly of speeches made by Martin during the Carter administration, Martin's memoirs, and his newspaper columns. The memoirs provide a detailed account of Martin's early life, his newspaper career, and his activities as a presidential adviser and liaison to the African American community. Photocopies of the originals of draft two are filed with that draft because they contain emendations that do not appear on the original manuscript. Martin's newspaper columns entitled “Up Front” reflect his interest in a variety of topics including American politics, civil rights, and international events. Many of Martin's columns in 1959 and 1960 were written while he was a consultant to Amalgamated Press, Ltd., in Nigeria. Notebooks in the writings file chronicle Martin's travels and his activities in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.
Among the frequent and prominent correspondents in the collection are Ronald Harmon Brown, Jimmy Carter, Sharon Pratt Kelly, Lyndon B. Johnson, Vernon E. Jordan, Martin Luther King, Jr., Walter F. Mondale, Sargent Shriver, Frances M. Voorde, Jack H. Watson, and Phil Wise.