John Martin Letters to William Young (Ms. 89.19)

Biographical note

John Martin was born in San Francisco in 1930 and grew up in Los Angeles. At an early age, he began collecting the books of William Faulkner, D. H. Lawrence, Ezra Pound, and Henry Miller. Later on in his life, Martin focused on the works of avant-garde poets. Using the money from his sale of first and signed editions to the University of California, Santa Barbara, Martin founded the Black Sparrow Press in 1966.

As sole owner of Black Sparrow Press from 1966 to 2002, Martin sought the work of avant-garde writers. He is noted for his role in launching the literary career of Charles Bukowski (1920-1994). Among the other writers he published are: John Fante, George and Mary Oppen, Robert Creeley, Charles Olson, Larry Eigner, Michael Palmer, Clayton Eshleman, Charles Reznikoff, Rochelle Owens, Ed Dorn, Jack Spicer, Cid Corman, Jane and Paul Bowles, William Everson, and Diane Wakoski.

Martin retired in 2002 when he sold the Black Sparrow Press to David R. Godine.