Board Member Spotlight: Dorothy Martin

By Venita Halbert

Ms. Dorothy Martin is the first Black woman to serve as the Tax Assessor in Tallahatchie County. Born in the summer of 1952 in the Mississippi Delta, she farmed cotton, beans, and other items while attending school in her youth. She graduated from West Tallahatchie High School in 1971, the year of integration, and began as an intern in the Tax Assessor's office. She attended Northwest Mississippi Community College and Delta State University, returning to the County's office in January 1976.

Ms. Martin has never dreamed of being anywhere else but the Delta. Her commitment to her community has driven her to be the first and longest-standing Black woman in the Tax Assessor's office. During our conversation, she spoke about being an honest and true individual and how her integrity built relationships that brought her into the Emmett Till narrative.

Ms. Martin is a Board Member of the Emmett Till Interpretive Center and has served in that role since 2018. Ms. Martin, we at ETIC would like to say thank you for your service and commitment to our community.