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Martin, John Bartlow, 1915-1987

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1915 - 1987

Biography

John Bartlow Martin was born in Hamilton, Ohio, on August 4, 1915. He took his B.A. in journalism (1937) from De Pauw University.

A free-lance writer Martin also served as a special envoy to the Dominican Republic in 1961 and 1965 and as a U.S. Ambassador to that country in 1962. He was a staff member for Adlai Stevenson (1952-1956), John F. Kennedy (1960), Lyndon B. Johnson (1964), and Hubert H. Humphrey (1968).

After teaching at Wesleyan, Princeton, and the City University of New York, Martin joined the faculty of Northwestern University in 1970 as a professor of editorial. He became emeritus professor of journalism in 1980.

A prolific writer Martin is best known for his two-volume biography of Adlai Stevenson, The Life of Adlai Stevenson, published in 1976-1977. Three of his books, It Seems Like Only Yesterday (1986), My Life in Crime (1952), and Overtaken by Events (1966) are autobiographical.

On August 17, 1940, Martin married Frances Rose Smethurst. The couple had three children. Martin died in Highland Park, Illinois, on January 4, 1987.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

John Bartlow Martin (1915-1987) Papers

 Collection
Identifier: 16/10
Abstract The John Bartlow Martin Papers fill two boxes and span the period 1960-1987. Most of the Papers are in the teaching files with small amounts of biographical materials, correspondence, administration files, and publications. He worked as a freelance writer as well as serving as a special envoy and as a U.S. Ambassador to Dominican Republic. He was a staff member for Adlai Stevenson, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Hubert H. Humphrey. After teaching at Wesleyan, Princeton, and the City...
Dates: 1960 - 1987; Other: Majority of material found within 1971 - 1978