| 1935 |
James Grubbs Martin is born in Savannah, Georgia, to Rev. Arthur Martin and his wife, Mary. |
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1938 |
The Martin family moves to Winnsboro, South Carolina, where Rev. Martin becomes pastor of church there. |
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1953 |
James Martin graduates from Mt. Zion High School in Winnsboro, SC. |
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1957 |
Mr. Martin receives his bachelor's degree from Davidson College, and, in the same year, marries Dorothy Ann
McAulay. |
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1959 |
The Martins' first child, James Grubbs Martin Jr., is born. |
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1960 |
Martin receives a Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton University and joins the faculty of Davidson College, where he will stay until1970. |
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1961 |
Mr. Martin is asked by Davidson students to help organize a conservative club and a Republican club to bring in speakers. In the same year, Dr. Martin himself registers as a Republican. |
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1962 |
The Martins' second child, Emily Wood Martin, is born. |
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1963 |
Dr. Martin runs for city council in Davidson. Advised not to campaign since it is a nonpartisan election, he doesn’t--and loses, for the only time in his political career. |
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1966 |
Dr. Martin is recruited by Mecklenburg Republicans to run for Board of County Commissioners and wins. As leading Republican on board, he serves as chairman. He runs again in 1970, and is reelected. |
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1968 |
Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Commissioner Martin takes a political risk by addressing racial conciliation rally at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte, NC. The same year, he
serves as a delegate to the Republican National Convention. |
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1972 |
The Martins' third child, Arthur Benson Martin, is born. The same year,
Dr. Martin is elected as a Republican Representative to the 93rd U.S. Congress, where he will serve six, two-year terms. |
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1984 |
Dr. Martin is elected governor of North Carolina in an upset victory over Attorney General Rufus Edmisten. During the campaign, he refrains from appealing to racism and promises to retain Democratic appointees. |
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1985 |
At Governor Martin's gubernatorial
inauguration, he proposes $300 million in merit pay for teachers, appoints three democrats, including one African American and one woman, to his 10-person cabinet, and proposes tax cuts to attract more business to North Carolina. The same year,
the N.C. General Assembly votes to call for a statewide vote on a referendum that would repeal the right of the North Carolina governor to serve for more than one term. |
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1986 |
Gov. Martin returns from a trip to Hollywood, announcing seven movies will be made in North Carolina. The same year, he calls for full funding of the state’s eight-year Basic Education Program (BEP). But in an address to the N.C. Citizens for Business and Industry, the Republican governor also says the BEP should be changed to give local school boards more say about how they spend their money. |
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1987 |
Gov. Martin takes a vacation at sea with his family in the final days of the legislative session. Lieutenant Governor Robert Jordan, who is also the Democratic nominee to oppose Gov. Martin in the 1988 gubernatorial election, openly criticizes him for taking a vacation while the legislature is still in session. Gov. Martin later says his decision to go on the vacation was one of his most satisfying. That same year, the General Assembly votes to approve the Martin Luther King, Jr. state holiday. While Gov. Martin opposes the decision, he cannot veto the plan, since the North Carolina governor does not yet have that privilege. |
