Harold E. Martin
Encyclopedia
Harold Eugene Martin was a Pulitzer Prize
-winning newspaper
editor
and publisher who also served as a director of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
. During his career, Martin lived in the U.S. state
s of Alabama
, New York
, Missouri
, Arkansas
, Tennessee
, and Texas
.
Martin procured the Pulitzer in 1970 as the editor of the morning Montgomery Advertiser
and the afternoon Alabama Journal for a series of articles that exposed the use by pharmaceutical companies
of state prisoners in drug
experimentation and as a source of blood plasma
. Martin hired two detective
s to help him gather the information, but he also had an inside source within the prison system. The revelations brought about a shakeup of the state corrections department under then rival Governor
s Albert Brewer
and George C. Wallace, Jr.
At the Montgomery Advertiser, Martin also opposed Governor Wallace's segregationist policies. An irate Wallace cancelled state advertising in the newspaper by the public-owned liquor business, an action which may have cost the company as much as $500,000
. "Harold Martin never flinched," recalled Ray Jenkins
, the Advertisers former executive editor.
Martin was born to Rufus John Martin and the former Emma Meadows in Cullman
, the seat of Cullman County
in northern Alabama. The family moved to Birmingham
, the state's largest city, where Martin graduated from Phillips High School
and was a newspaper
copy reader. He served in the United States Marine Corps
during World War II
.
Martin procured a bachelor of arts
degree in 1954 from Baptist
-affiliated Samford University
in Homewood
, a suburb
of Birmingham. At the time Samford was known as "Howard College". In 1961, he taught two advanced journalism
courses -- advertising
and libel law—at his alma mater Howard. He was named Howard's "Alumnus of the Year" in 1970, after he won his Pulitzer Prize.
In 1956, Martin received his master of arts
at the private Syracuse University
in Syracuse
, the seat of Onondaga County
in central New York
. Thereafter he was the assistant business manager for the Syracuse Herald from 1957–1958. He maintained ties to Syracuse
for many years, having served on the board of the School of Public Communications.
The Martins moved to St. Louis
in 1958, where he was named assistant production manager of the defunct St. Louis Globe-Democrat
. Martin then returned to Birmingham, where in 1960, he became assistant general manager of the Birmingham News. In 1963, he accepted the co-publisher's position with the Montgomery Advertiser in the state capital. He was named editor in 1967.
Over the years, Martin served on many boards, including that of Virginia Military Institute
in Lexington
and the Alabama Baptist state denominational newspaper. A member of the Southern Baptist denomination since childhood, Martin served for twenty years with the Graham Association, now based in Charlotte, North Carolina
.
On November 25, 1945, Martin married the former Jean Elizabeth Wilson of Goldsboro, North Carolina
. In the 1970s, the couple co-owned The Herald Citizen daily newspaper in Cookeville
in Putnam County
in northern Tennessee; The News-Observer weekly in Crossett
in Ashley County in southern Arkansas, and The Baxter Bulletin weekly in Mountain Home
in Baxter County
in northern Arkansas. In 1973, the Baxter Bulletin, the largest weekly newspaper in Arkansas, was named by the Newspaper Enterprise Association as "Best Overall Weekly Newspaper in the United States" in the over 10,000-circulation category.
In 1980, Martin was named president of Jefferson-Pilot Publications and simultaneously the publisher of the Beaumont Enterprise
and Beaumont Journal in Jefferson County
in southeast Texas. In that capacity, Martin oversaw the operations of some twenty-five other newspapers, including dailies, Laredo Morning Times
in Laredo, Texas
, the Galveston County Daily News in Texas City
, Clearwater Sun in Clearwater, Florida
, and Altus Times in Altus
in Jackson County
in southwestern Oklahoma
, plus five weekly community newspapers in Jefferson and nearby Hardin counties near Beaumont, six Oklahoma weeklies, and ten Florida
weeklies."
Martin retired in 1985, when Jefferson-Pilot Publications was sold to the Hearst Corporation
. He retired to Bedford
in Tarrant County
near Fort Worth
. Thereafter, he assisted the Methodist Church in the reorganization of its publishing operation in Fort Worth. As a hobby, Martin raised and showed Tennessee Walking Horses and owned a champion pony
.
Martin died in Bedford of cancer
and Alzheimer's disease
. In addition to his wife, he was survived by their daughter, Anita Luce of Keller in Tarrant County; their son, Brian E. Martin of Aubrey
in Denton County
, and five grandchildren. An older son, Gary Martin, preceded his father in death.
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
and publisher who also served as a director of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is an organization started by Billy Graham in 1950. The main focus of the BGEA is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible...
. During his career, Martin lived in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Martin procured the Pulitzer in 1970 as the editor of the morning Montgomery Advertiser
Montgomery Advertiser
The Montgomery Advertiser is a daily newspaper located in Montgomery, Alabama. It was founded in 1829.- History:The newspaper began publication in 1829 as The Planter's Gazette. It became the Montgomery Advertiser in 1833. In 1903, R.F. Hudson, a young Alabama newspaperman, joined the staff of the...
and the afternoon Alabama Journal for a series of articles that exposed the use by pharmaceutical companies
Pharmaceutical company
The pharmaceutical industry develops, produces, and markets drugs licensed for use as medications. Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to deal in generic and/or brand medications and medical devices...
of state prisoners in drug
Drug
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
experimentation and as a source of blood plasma
Blood plasma
Blood plasma is the straw-colored liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are normally suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid...
. Martin hired two detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
s to help him gather the information, but he also had an inside source within the prison system. The revelations brought about a shakeup of the state corrections department under then rival Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
s Albert Brewer
Albert Brewer
Albert Preston Brewer is an American politician who was the 47th Governor of Alabama from May 7, 1968 until January 18, 1971.-Life and political career:...
and George C. Wallace, Jr.
George Wallace
George Corley Wallace, Jr. was the 45th Governor of Alabama, serving four terms: 1963–1967, 1971–1979 and 1983–1987. "The most influential loser" in 20th-century U.S. politics, according to biographers Dan T. Carter and Stephan Lesher, he ran for U.S...
At the Montgomery Advertiser, Martin also opposed Governor Wallace's segregationist policies. An irate Wallace cancelled state advertising in the newspaper by the public-owned liquor business, an action which may have cost the company as much as $500,000
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
. "Harold Martin never flinched," recalled Ray Jenkins
Ray Jenkins
Ray Howard Jenkins was an American lawyer, active primarily in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the surrounding region, throughout much of the 20th century...
, the Advertisers former executive editor.
Martin was born to Rufus John Martin and the former Emma Meadows in Cullman
Cullman, Alabama
Cullman is a city in Cullman County, State of Alabama. Cullman is located along Interstate 65, about north of Birmingham, and about south of Huntsville. According to the U.S...
, the seat of Cullman County
Cullman County, Alabama
Cullman County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Colonel John G. Cullmann. As of 2010, the population was 80,406. Its county seat is the town of the same name, Cullman, Alabama. It is a "moist" county in terms of availablity of alcoholic beverages, which means...
in northern Alabama. The family moved to Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, the state's largest city, where Martin graduated from Phillips High School
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and was a newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
copy reader. He served in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Martin procured a bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1954 from Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
-affiliated Samford University
Samford University
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
in Homewood
Homewood, Alabama
Homewood is a city in southeastern Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. It is a suburb of Birmingham, located on the other side of Red Mountain due south of the city center. It has one of the highest population densities in Alabama. As of 2009 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the...
, a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Birmingham. At the time Samford was known as "Howard College". In 1961, he taught two advanced journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
courses -- advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
and libel law—at his alma mater Howard. He was named Howard's "Alumnus of the Year" in 1970, after he won his Pulitzer Prize.
In 1956, Martin received his master of arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
at the private Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, the seat of Onondaga County
Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
in central New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Thereafter he was the assistant business manager for the Syracuse Herald from 1957–1958. He maintained ties to Syracuse
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
for many years, having served on the board of the School of Public Communications.
The Martins moved to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in 1958, where he was named assistant production manager of the defunct St. Louis Globe-Democrat
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
The St. Louis Globe-Democrat was originally a daily print newspaper based in St. Louis, Missouri from 1852 until 1986...
. Martin then returned to Birmingham, where in 1960, he became assistant general manager of the Birmingham News. In 1963, he accepted the co-publisher's position with the Montgomery Advertiser in the state capital. He was named editor in 1967.
Over the years, Martin served on many boards, including that of Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
in Lexington
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
and the Alabama Baptist state denominational newspaper. A member of the Southern Baptist denomination since childhood, Martin served for twenty years with the Graham Association, now based in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
.
On November 25, 1945, Martin married the former Jean Elizabeth Wilson of Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro is a city in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 37,597 at the 2008 census estimate. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The nearby town of Waynesboro was founded in 1787 and Goldsboro was...
. In the 1970s, the couple co-owned The Herald Citizen daily newspaper in Cookeville
Cookeville, Tennessee
Cookeville is a city in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 23,923 at the 2000 census. of Cookeville's population was 30,435, and the combined total of those living in Cookeville's in 2010 was 65,014. It is the county seat of Putnam County and home to Tennessee...
in Putnam County
Putnam County, Tennessee
Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 62,315, a 21 percent increase from 1990. The was 72,321, an increase of 16.1% since 2000...
in northern Tennessee; The News-Observer weekly in Crossett
Crossett, Arkansas
Crossett is the largest city in Ashley County, Arkansas, United States, with a population of 5,507, according to 2010 Census Bureau estimates. Combined with North Crossett and West Crossett, the population is 10,752...
in Ashley County in southern Arkansas, and The Baxter Bulletin weekly in Mountain Home
Mountain Home, Arkansas
Mountain Home is a city in and the county seat of Baxter County, Arkansas, United States, in the southern Ozark Mountains.It was recently listed in the top 20 cities in the U.S. for sportsmen in the current edition of Outdoor Life magazine, was recently ranked #2 for Field and Stream's Best Fishing...
in Baxter County
Baxter County, Arkansas
Baxter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. It is in the northern part of the state, and shares a border with Missouri. It is commonly referred to as the Twin Lakes Area because it is bordered by two of Arkansas' largest lakes, Bull Shoals Lake and Norfork Lake...
in northern Arkansas. In 1973, the Baxter Bulletin, the largest weekly newspaper in Arkansas, was named by the Newspaper Enterprise Association as "Best Overall Weekly Newspaper in the United States" in the over 10,000-circulation category.
In 1980, Martin was named president of Jefferson-Pilot Publications and simultaneously the publisher of the Beaumont Enterprise
Beaumont Enterprise
The Beaumont Enterprise is a newspaper of the Hearst Corporation, headquartered in Beaumont. It has been in operation since 1880.In addition to BeaumontEnterprise.com and the daily newspaper, The Enterprise produces several weeklies—the Jasper Newsboy, the Hardin County News, the Mid County...
and Beaumont Journal in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Texas
Jefferson County is a county located in the state of Texas, United States. As of 2000, the population was 252,051. Its county seat is Beaumont, and it is named for the former U.S...
in southeast Texas. In that capacity, Martin oversaw the operations of some twenty-five other newspapers, including dailies, Laredo Morning Times
Laredo Morning Times
The Laredo Morning Times is a daily newspaper publication based in Laredo, Texas, USA. It is owned by the Hearst Corporation.The Laredo Morning Times was founded on June 14, 1881 as "the Laredo Weekly," a four-page newspaper published by James Saunders Penn. Two years later, the paper became a...
in Laredo, Texas
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
, the Galveston County Daily News in Texas City
Texas City, Texas
Texas City is a city in Chambers and Galveston counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 41,521 at the 2000 census. It is a part of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Clearwater Sun in Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
, and Altus Times in Altus
Altus, Oklahoma
Altus is a city in Jackson County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 19,813 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jackson County....
in Jackson County
Jackson County, Oklahoma
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 28,439. Its county seat is Altus.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
in southwestern Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, plus five weekly community newspapers in Jefferson and nearby Hardin counties near Beaumont, six Oklahoma weeklies, and ten Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
weeklies."
Martin retired in 1985, when Jefferson-Pilot Publications was sold to the Hearst Corporation
Hearst Corporation
The Hearst Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in the Hearst Tower, Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. Founded by William Randolph Hearst as an owner of newspapers, the company's holdings now include a wide variety of media...
. He retired to Bedford
Bedford, Texas
Bedford is a suburban city located in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, in the "Mid-Cities" area between Dallas and Fort Worth. It is a suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 46,979 at the 2010 census...
in Tarrant County
Tarrant County, Texas
Tarrant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, it had a population of 1,809,034. Its county seat is Fort Worth. Tarrant County is the sixteenth most populous county in the United States and the third most populous in Texas. The county is named in honor...
near Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. Thereafter, he assisted the Methodist Church in the reorganization of its publishing operation in Fort Worth. As a hobby, Martin raised and showed Tennessee Walking Horses and owned a champion pony
Pony
A pony is a small horse . Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds...
.
Martin died in Bedford of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. In addition to his wife, he was survived by their daughter, Anita Luce of Keller in Tarrant County; their son, Brian E. Martin of Aubrey
Aubrey, Texas
Aubrey is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,500 at the 2000 census.-History:In 1847 the community was named Onega and the Cherokee people were the main inhabitants. Historically it was known for the peanut farms that surrounded the town. By 2009 horse ranches...
in Denton County
Denton County, Texas
Denton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 432,976; in 2009 the estimated population had reached 628,300. Part of the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex, it is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. The county seat is Denton. The county...
, and five grandchildren. An older son, Gary Martin, preceded his father in death.