John Bartlow Martin
Encyclopedia
John Bartlow Martin was an author
of 15 books, Ambassador
to the Dominican Republic
, and speechwriter and confidant to many American
Democratic politicians including Adlai Stevenson, John F. Kennedy
, Robert F. Kennedy
, Lyndon B. Johnson
, and Hubert Humphrey
.
Martin was born in Hamilton, Ohio
to John and Laura Martin, and as a young child moved to Indianapolis
, Indiana
. Martin grew up in an unhappy childhood, plagued by the death of his two brothers from scarlet fever. He graduated from high school
at age 16 and was expelled in his first year from DePauw University
, but later graduated there with a degree in journalism
. With the impact of his dark childhood and onset of the Great Depression, Martin's early journalism career focused on deep concern for the underprivileged and forgotten, such as criminals, the impoverished, the working class
, and the elderly. His work appeared in such publications as Saturday Evening Post, LIFE, Colliers, Atlantic Monthly, and Harper's
. He won the highest magazine
publishing
honor, the Benjamin Franklin Magazine Award, for four consecutive years. Martin was hired in 1952 as a speechwriter by Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson, and later worked on the John F. Kennedy presidential campaign. He served as American Ambassador to the Dominican Republic from 1962 to 1964. Martin arrived shortly after the assassination of Rafael Trujillo and became very close with their new president Juan Bosch
. Martin resigned shortly after the John F. Kennedy assassination
, but returned to the Dominican Republic as a special envoy in 1965 during American invasion dispatched by President Johnson. He died in 1987 of throat cancer
.
In 2008, The Library of America selected Martin’s story “Butcher's Dozen” for inclusion in its two-century retrospective of American True Crime.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of 15 books, Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, and speechwriter and confidant to many American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic politicians including Adlai Stevenson, John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
, Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
, and Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. , served under President Lyndon B. Johnson as the 38th Vice President of the United States. Humphrey twice served as a United States Senator from Minnesota, and served as Democratic Majority Whip. He was a founder of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and...
.
Martin was born in Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton is a city in Butler County, southwestern Ohio, United States. The population was 62,447 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Butler County. The city is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area....
to John and Laura Martin, and as a young child moved to Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. Martin grew up in an unhappy childhood, plagued by the death of his two brothers from scarlet fever. He graduated from 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....
at age 16 and was expelled in his first year from DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
, but later graduated there with a degree in 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...
. With the impact of his dark childhood and onset of the Great Depression, Martin's early journalism career focused on deep concern for the underprivileged and forgotten, such as criminals, the impoverished, the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
, and the elderly. His work appeared in such publications as Saturday Evening Post, LIFE, Colliers, Atlantic Monthly, and Harper's
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
. He won the highest magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
honor, the Benjamin Franklin Magazine Award, for four consecutive years. Martin was hired in 1952 as a speechwriter by Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson, and later worked on the John F. Kennedy presidential campaign. He served as American Ambassador to the Dominican Republic from 1962 to 1964. Martin arrived shortly after the assassination of Rafael Trujillo and became very close with their new president Juan Bosch
Juan Bosch
Juan Emilio Bosch Gaviño was a politician, historian, short story writer, essayist, educator, and the first cleanly elected president of the Dominican Republic for a brief time in 1963. Previously, he had been the leader of the Dominican opposition in exile to the dictatorial regime of Rafael...
. Martin resigned shortly after the John F. Kennedy assassination
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
, but returned to the Dominican Republic as a special envoy in 1965 during American invasion dispatched by President Johnson. He died in 1987 of throat cancer
Head and neck cancer
Head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...
.
In 2008, The Library of America selected Martin’s story “Butcher's Dozen” for inclusion in its two-century retrospective of American True Crime.