Tony Martin was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad on 21 February 1942. His secondary school education took place at Tranquillity School, Trinidad before he moved to England where he studied law at Gray's Inn, London. While there, he was summoned to the Bar in 1966. In 1968, Dr. Martin moved to Hull University where he received a B.Sc. in economics with honours. He then taught in Trinidad at the Cipriani Labour College and St. Mary's College. In 1969, Dr. Martin headed to the United States to pursue graduate studies in African History at Michigan State University. While there, he earned an M.A. and then a Ph.D. in 1973.

Dr. Martin taught at Wellesley College from 1973, where he was founder and chair of the Africana Studies Department. In 1975, he was tenured and later became a full professor in 1979. He also taught at the University of Michigan-Flint. He was a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota, Brandeis University, Brown University, and Colorado College. He also spent a year as an honorary research fellow at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad. Dr. Martin retired in June 2007 as professor emeritus after 34 years teaching at the Africana Studies Department.

Prof Tony Martin

Dr. Martin was a lecturer and author of academic articles about the subject of Black History, mainly the Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey whose narratives centred on the topic of Jewish involvement in the American slave trade. This put him in a situation where he was accused of being “anti-Semitic and most hateful” and was subjected to student harassment and critical analysis. On that point, Atzmon (2016) confirms that:
“Jewish history has a black side to it that is not flattering. Dr. Martin has reached the conclusion that Jews dominated the slave trade. The black American academic has also speculated that Jewish and Zionist support for the Civil Rights movement was driven by Jewish self-interest. This suggestion made Professor Martin the subject of an orchestrated Jewish onslaught led by the ADL, AJC and Jewish student unions.”

Dr. Martin received awards and honours from the American Philosophical Society, and the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations.  

He died on 17 January 2013 in Cocorin, Trinidad.

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References
Atzmon, G. (2016). Professor Tony Martin on the Jewish Role in the Slave Trade. http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/2016/3/14/2neb5vgeud4n3blrdgvt7yu374tdk3
Bethel, C.  (2013). Martin helped to liberate minds, says Kambon. Trinidad Express Newspapers.
Bottomly, H. K. (2013). The Wellesley College Community.  https://www.wellesley.edu/sites/default/files/assets/tony_martin.pdf
Burleigh, M.  (2008). Michael Burleigh reviews History Lesson: A Race Odyssey by Mary Lefkowitz. Race Odyssey: history in black and white. The telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/non_fictionreviews/3673659/Race-Odyssey-history-in-black-and-white.html
Martin v. Lefkowitz: Libel Suit Involving Wellesley College Professors the Onslaught Against Afrocentrism (2012). http://noirg.org/articles/blacks-and-jews-at-wellesley-news-pt-4/
Prof Tony Martin dies. (2013). http://www.stabroeknews.com/2013/news/stories/01/19/prof-tony-martin-dies/
Professor Tony Martin Dies at 70. (2013). http://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=6903

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