[1] The Martin Center originated in 1996[6] as a project of the John Locke Foundation (also founded by Art Pope), a nonprofit think tank concerned especially with free markets, limited constitutional government, and personal responsibility.

[8] The Martin Center describes its role as a "watchdog" with respect to higher education in the United States in general and the public system in North Carolina in particular.

[11] Their strongest opposition campaign to date, conducted in conjunction with another Pope-funded think tank, the Civitas Institute, was directed against Gene Nichol, former president of the College of William and Mary and former dean of the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law, in his role as the director of UNC Chapel-Hill's Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity.

[14] The work of the Martin Center and its staff has received praise and support from other conservative or libertarian organizations and publications with an interest in educational issues.

[16] As of 2021, the organization's board of directors includes Arch T. Allen, Nan Miller, J. Edgar Broyhill, Virginia Foxx, John M. Hood, Burley Mitchell, James G. Martin, David Riggs, Jane S. Shaw, Robert L. Shibley, and Garland S. Tucker III.