Annie B. Martin

Annie B. Martin has devoted her entire life to advancing the interests of all races, but specifically African Americans and Africans. As the longest-serving leader of the oldest branch of the NAACP—the New York Branch—she has spent decades marching and testifying for equality in education and fair treatment for all workers. As a chemist, Dr. Martin is an active member of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), a leader in the Red Cross, and a longtime member of the Executive Board of the NYC Central Labor Council. A native of Eastover, South Carolina, she has been a tireless leader in the ranks of labor and civil rights, and is one of the first persons to receive the national Ellis Island Medal of Honor. She has been on the front lines for many decades, from her trips to Alabama and Georgia during the King era—where her hotel was bombed—to recent marathon sessions at Board of Education hearings.