Photograph collection of Charles R. Martin, 1945-2011

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Charles R. Martin Photographs
Creator
Martin, Charles R.
Collection Number
AIS.2012.04
Extent
17.25 Linear Feet (143,000 35mm negatives; 1,000 4x5 negatives; 1,096 120 mm negatives; assorted gelatin silver prints)
Date
1945-2011
Date
1966-1999
Abstract
The collection documents Charles R. Martin's 66-year career as a private photographer, with images dating from the 1940s to 2011. The collection contains images taken during his work with clients such as the United Way of Allegheny County, Dynamic Equipment, St. Barnabas Foundation of Gibsonia, the Boy Scouts of America, Carlow College, Vibra Tech Engineers, Alcoa and Red Valve, among others. Also included in the collection are personal and travel photographs. Of particular note is a series of 189 photographs taken on Sunday, April 7, 1968, three days after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which depict a peaceful march in Pittsburgh on the National Day of Mourning in memory of Dr. King. Digital reproductions of these photographs are online.
Language
English .
Author
Karen Dettloff, Cameron Villareal, and Miriam Meislik.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Previous Citation

Charles R. Martin Photographs, 1945-2011, AIS.2012.04, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

Charles R. Martin Photographs, 1945-2011, AIS.2012.04, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Karen Dettloff and Cameron Villareal in 2013.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Biography

Charles (Chuck) R. Martin was born to a lawyer and classical singer in Beaver Falls, Pa., on July 1, 1927. He credited his uncle, an amateur photographer, for sparking both his love of photography and his future career. After graduating from Beaver Falls High School in June of 1945, he joined the Navy where he served 14 months on the Lyman K. Swenson destroyer. It was during this time that he purchased his first camera, a Leica II, for $100 in Shanghai, China.

After his military service, Martin attended Dartmouth College where he majored in art and zoology, thinking that he would go into medical photography. As a student at Dartmouth, he served as president of the photography club and had some of his photographs published in the Dartmouth College Weekly Calendar. Martin returned to Beaver Falls after graduation where he met Sally while she was still a student at Geneva College. They married in 1950 and had three children: Catherine (Kitty), William (Mac) and Tom.

It was not until his wife took a teaching job, years later, that Martin was able to get into free-lance photography after working in a variety of jobs from car salesman to owning his own real estate company. He soon built up an impressive clientele, including the United Way of Allegheny County, Dynamic Equipment, St. Barnabas Foundation of Gibsonia, the Boy Scouts of America, Carlow College, Vibra Tech Engineers, Alcoa, and Red Valve. Martin said his goal was always to try to capture, what the French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson termed, "the decisive moment."

Martin had a strong artistic side to his photography. By showing a slide show he created using his nature photography along with Aaron Copeland's "Appalachian Spring" to a friend with connections to the Butler symphony; Martin began what would become a 30-year relationship with the symphony. This lead to other programs designed around notable pieces such as "Mysterious Mountains," "The Pines of Rome," and "The Grand Canyon Suite," among others.

Martin passed away on July 8, 2013.

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated by Charles Martin in November 2012.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into three series by format and chronologically by year. Arrangement follows the original numbers assigned by the photographer.

Series I. Pittsburgh March on the MLK Jr. National Day of Mourning, April 7, 1968

Series II. Negatives, 1945-1998

Series III. Prints, 1950-2011

Scope and Content Notes

The Charles R. Martin Photographs is comprised of photographic prints, negatives and a small amount of manuscript material that remains with associated prints. Items date from 1945 to 2011 with the bulk of the collection dating between 1966 and 1999.

All negatives are identified with an identification number and, in most cases, an accompanying title. For instance, a negative sleeve reading 684.10 would translate to "April 1968, roll 10." Photographic prints also bear this identification with the addition of the frame number such as, "684.10-28." Most prints also bear a stamp with Martin's name and address.

Existence and Location of Copies

Digital reproductions of the National Day of Mourning march in Pittsburgh on April 7, 1968 are digitized and available online.

Copyright

All rights reserved. University of Pittsburgh.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • Visiting Nurse Association of Allegheny County (Pa.)
    • Pittsburgh Blind Association
    • Kellogg Media Group
    • Kmart Corporation
    • American Red Cross
    • University Club (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    • Shady Side Academy (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    • Richard King Mellon Foundation
    • Carlow College (Oakland, Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    • Vibra-Tech Engineers
    • Hill House (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    • Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania
    • Goodwill Industries of Pittsburgh
    • Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children
    • United Way of Allegheny County (Pa.)
    • St. Barnabas Foundation
    • Cross Electronics Inc
    • Salvation Army
    • Boy Scouts of America

    Personal Names

    • Ford, Gerald R.
    • Scranton, William Warren
    • Randall, Tony
    • Bleier, Rocky
    • King, Martin Luther, Jr. -- Assassination

    Family Names

    • Martin family

    Geographic Names

    • Allegheny County (Pa.)
    • Pittsburgh (Pa.)
    • Bradford Woods (Pa.)
    • Ocracoke Island (N.C.)

    Genres

    • Negatives (Photographic)
    • Photographs
    • Gelatin silver prints

    Other Subjects

    • Photographers -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Business and Industry
    • Associations
    • Historic sites -- Pennsylvania, Western
    • Civil rights demonstrations -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh

Container List