[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 84 (Friday, May 14, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E522-E523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      IN HONOR OF THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE AND LEGACY OF C.T. MARTIN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. NIKEMA WILLIAMS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 14, 2021

  Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 
Councilman Emeritus C.T. Martin, known as the `Dean' of the Atlanta 
City Council, who passed away at the age of 84. For nearly 30 years, he 
served Atlanta's District 10 with distinction on the Atlanta City 
Council, uplifting the voices of the Southwest Atlanta community. 
Throughout his life, Mr. Martin was a fearless leader for justice and 
steadfast ally for marginalized communities. He served as Congressman 
John Lewis' first campaign manager and played a vital role in advancing 
equality and justice for all Georgians. He was a dedicated member of 
Hoosier Memorial United Methodist Church, and is survived by his four 
children and five grandchildren.
  An Atlanta native, Mr. Martin was dedicated to giving back to his 
community from an early age. He attended Booker T. Washington High 
School and began his community activism as a member of the N.A.A.C.P, 
registering people to vote. After graduating from Shaw University with 
a Bachelor of Science degree with plans to become an educator, he 
attended Atlanta University where he earned a Master of Science degree 
and afterwards followed his calling for public service.
  A graduate of Leadership Atlanta, Mr. Martin had affiliations with 
numerous service organizations. In 1972, he received a presidential 
appointment from the White House Domestic Policy Council. For more than 
20 years, he served the National Scholarship Service for Negro Students 
and influenced college minority recruitment policy nationwide. During 
his public service career, he received over 350 community service 
awards for outstanding service.
  A strong believer in sharing the wealth of his successes with the 
community, Mr. Martin was dedicated to bringing the voices of African 
Americans to the forefront of leadership in this country. As a civil 
rights foot soldier himself, Mr. Martin worked alongside Congressman 
John Lewis in his first run for Congress and mentored many rising Black 
leaders from Georgia, including his successor, City Councilwoman Andrea 
Boone.
  Elected to the Atlanta City Council in 1990, Mr. Martin was dedicated 
to improving the lives of ALL Georgians. He was a strong advocate for 
education, social services, senior citizen protection, voter rights, 
neighborhood preservation, and private enterprise. He fought

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tirelessly to restore our neighborhoods and provide economic 
opportunity in our communities.
  Early on in his service on Atlanta City Council, Mr. Martin was 
appointed by Mayor Bill Campbell to the Atlanta City Budget Commission. 
In 1994, he was selected by the Labor Coalition to travel to South 
Africa to work for political education following the release of Nelson 
Mandela. During his second and third terms in office, he held three key 
chairmanships--Human Resources, Public Safety, and Transportation.
  Mr. Martin was a bold visionary for the people, spearheading projects 
such as the construction of the Adamsville Natatorium and Community 
Center that completely transformed the area and provided resources to 
our most marginalized communities. He created the Martin Luther King 
Jr. Drive Merchants Association, an initiative to foster economic 
opportunities and growth for Atlanta's District 10 and served on the 
Missing and Murdered Children Task Force. Mr. Martin was also a board 
member for the West End Medical Center and chairman of the City of 
Atlanta Employee Credit Union Board.
  His off-term work included serving as a consultant on political 
campaigns and spearheading strategic planning activity and youth 
programming. He was elected by Georgia's Democratic Party to serve as a 
delegate to elect the first Black President of the United States, 
Barack Obama, at the Democratic National Convention in 2008 and 2012.
  Atlanta has lost one of its greatest native sons. On a personal 
level, I was proud to have earned his support, guidance, and 
endorsement in my first campaign for public office. My thoughts and 
prayers are with his family and loved ones at this time. The entire 
city of Atlanta owes a debt of gratitude to C.T. Martin that we could 
never repay. May his memory serve as a guiding light for future 
generations of leaders in the fight for full equality.
  On behalf of Georgia's 5th Congressional District, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in recognizing the extraordinary life and legacy 
of Councilman C.T. Martin, and his incredible contributions to the 
Atlanta community.

                          ____________________