NANCY & ARCHIE, EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTERS & MENTORS:
During their early lives, Archie and Nancy had no formal schooling. In Nancy’s case, evidence suggests that her earliest teacher was her older sister, Margaret, who had been taken north by Union troops and educated there before returning to the South. Archie learned only how to write his name. Despite their limited educational opportunities, both were known for being caring and generous, and they were always deeply supportive of education as a means of improving one’s life.
Founded in 1858, Iowa State College allowed students of color to attend, but did not provide on-campus housing for them until the 1940s. During that interim period, Archie and Nancy Martin’s home became a refuge where Black students could live and thrive while pursuing their educational goals. Their home stood as both a symbol and a servant of their faith in a higher power, and of their hope in love and education for aspiring African American doctors, lawyers, and educators.
NOTABLE ROOMING STUDENTS
- James Bowman, who served with the Tuskegee Airmen and later became a school administrator in Des Moines, Iowa.
- George Washington Carver, the renowned botanist, was the first Black graduate of Iowa State College, earning a B.S. degree in 1894 and an M.S. in 1896.
- Dr. Herbert B. Crouch, Ph.D. in Parasitology, led the housing authority in Nashville, Tennessee during the 1960s and 1970s. He also served as the dean of the graduate school at Tennessee State University for 30 years.
- Samuel Massie, who worked on the Manhattan Project, later became the first Black professor at the U.S. Naval Academy. He was named one of the 75 most distinguished chemists of the 20th century by Chemical & Engineering News. He also received the NAACP Freedom Fund Award and a White House Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Frederick Patterson, founder of the United Negro College Fund and former president of Tuskegee University.
- Harold Roasby, who became Superintendent of Schools in Seattle, Washington.
- Jack Trice, one of the first African American students to play college football at Iowa State University. He tragically died from injuries sustained during a game against the University of Minnesota in 1923. The stadium at Iowa State University is named in his honor.
- As well as a long list of other professionals and educators who pursued their dreams of higher education.
TODAY:
It wasn’t until the 1940’s that Iowa State College relaxed their restrictions on students of color living on campus, and Archie and Nancy Martin are credited for their role in creating these conditions while filling the void of reliable housing for African American students in Ames for more than 20 years.
The Martins were recognized by Iowa State 80 years after they began housing students in their home. In 2004 Iowa State University dedicated the 26 million dollar Archie and Nancy Martin Residence Hall in honor of the Martin's for their aid and assistance to African American students who were enrolled but could not be housed there. The Martin House has also been added to the historical record in the State of Iowa.
LEGACY:
The Martin's legacy and impact on black students in Ames and on the Iowa State campus can be measured in numerous ways. Mainly their legacy is traced by the successful stories of many who stayed with them. There are numerous educators, professors, administrators, presidents of universities, and engineers that fondly remember the Martin home and acknowledge that, if not for the Martins, they would not have had the chance at an education at Iowa State University. Even though George Washington Carver graduated many years before the Martins moved to Ames, every time he came back to Ames, he stayed with them.
IN CLOSING:
Nancy and Archie knew and believed that an education was the only way for African Americans could achieve a quality of life. They were wholeheartedly dedicated to supporting African American students in their quest for an education. Their legacy lives on in the achievements of those students and also through their descendants who are doctors, lawyers, decorated military officers, and educators. An amazing legacy for two uneducated ex-slaves.
THE MISSION:
Our mission is the tradition and belief of Nancy and Archie Martin to provide an opportunity to African American students through financial aid in the form of scholarships. If you desire an education or if you're going to pursue a skilled trade such as an electrician, plumber, etc., the Martin Legacy Foundation is here to support that dream and make it a reality. If we don’t support our young people, who will!
IN MEMORY OF:
Dedicated to the memory of Valerie Crouch-Cobbs, the great-great granddaughter of Nancy and Archie Martin. An outstanding educator who founded the "Cobblestone Day School" in Freeport, NY, a school that established a strong academic foundation for hundreds of children giving them the opportunity to attend 4-year state and private colleges and universities as well as Ivy League schools. Many of her students went on to careers in medicine, law, and all walks of professional life - all giving credit to their experience at "Cobblestone". You had a life well lived.
Valerie Crouch-Cobbs
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Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve conditions. Your generous donation will fund our mission.
