She was the first woman to be ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and was president of the West Kentucky conference branch for five years.
[1] On April 12, 1933, she copyrighted the single act drama, The Comforter, [D 22176], under the name Evangelist Dr. Martha Jayne Keys Marshall.
[3] Keys campaigned and introduced a bill to the AME General Conference for the ordaination of women as itinerant elders in 1935 (and/or 1936) and again in 1940.
[4] Finally, in 1960, the AME subsequently removed all restrictions placed on women's advancement in leadership roles.
[1] In 1951, after she was ordained, Keys became pastor of the Evangelical Rescue Mission at 2113 W. Walnut in Louisville, Kentucky.