[7][8] She won the Federal Woman's Award in 1968,[9] "for her courageous and effective administration of the civil rights compliance program and her exceptional contribution to racial justice in the field of education".

[5][11] Martin co-founded and directed the Washington Research Project Action Council (now the Children's Defense Fund) in 1969,[12] with Marian Wright Edelman, and the two women testified at a House hearing on the Emergency School Aid Act in 1971,[13] and at a Senate hearing on equal educational opportunities in 1972.

[4] In 1990 She joined the cabinet of her law school classmate, Virginia governor Douglas Wilder, as Secretary of Administration.

[16] She served on state trade missions to Africa for Wilder[17][18] and for North Carolina governor James B.

She was chair of the Port of Richmond project, and a member of the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia.