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March 10, 2022John Frank Martin, a Catholic politician, became one of the first of his faith to hold an important public office in a time of extreme prejudice. In fact, he never shied away from wearing his Catholicity on his sleeve.
Born in Missouri in 1892, his family moved to Oklahoma City when he was a small child. He completed his law degree at Georgetown in 1914 and returned home to practice his profession.
His interest in politics came to the fore early in his career as he was elected to the Oklahoma State Legislature in 1921. Later serving on the city council, he decided to run for mayor of Oklahoma City in 1935, and won. Due to his being a member of the Catholic Church (and proudly so), his campaign was fraught with bigotry.
Out of 29,000 votes cast, he won by a mere 80. The local press attributed his triumph to a “black cloud” of nuns and black voters.
Undeterred, he began his term with energy and a ferocity. His tenure was constantly dogged by infighting of various factions in which eight city managers were hired and fired during his four years in office. Despite the obstacles, bond issues to build the city jail, police headquarters, the civic center and the present city hall all were constructed under his auspices.
He went on to become the director of the Oklahoma State Fair and president of the Oklahoma Tax Commission.
As for his unabashed Catholicism, Martin became involved in the Catholic Action movement. This led to a friendship with Father Stephen Leven who was the innovator who paved the way for street preaching as the most basic style of evangelization. Mayor Martin joined Father Leven in Bristow as the first layman to become a street preacher. Armed only a podium and microphone, he spread the Gospel to anyone within shouting distance. He also trained catechists to venture forth on Sundays to teach classes where no Catholics resided; such was his love for the faith.
After a life of service in both the civil and Church realms, he died on Dec. 28, 1968. His devotion to Christ and his Church was the motivating factor in all his endeavors and this Oklahoma pioneer did much to enlighten a non-Catholic population and alleviate misconceptions.
