ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives. All rights reserved.
© 2008 ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives. All rights reserved.
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
Researchers wishing to publish materials must obtain permission in writing from ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives as the physical owner. Researchers must also obtain clearance from the holder(s) of any copyrights in the materials. Note that ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives can grant copyright clearance only for those materials for which we hold the copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright clearance for all other materials directly from the copyright holder(s).
James M. Martin diaries, 2008-035, ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, Los Angeles, California.
Gift of James M. Martin in 1995.
Collection processed by Loni Shibuyama, June 12, 2008.
James M. Martin was born on March 23, 1943 in Corpus Christi, Texas. In the early 1960s, Martin attended Texas Christian University and received degrees in English and Journalism. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles and attended film school at the University of California at Los Angeles. While living in Los Angeles he was active in anti-war and counterculture movements and earned a living as an editor and contributor to several Los Angeles-based magazines and newspapers. It was during this time that Martin entered into one of his first homosexual relationships.
In the late 1970s, Martin married a woman whom he met while working for the magazine,
Around that time, Martin "underwent a spiritual transformation" and by 1985, founded an occult fraternal order, the Ordo Templi Baphe-Metis, as well as the American Gnostic Church. He participated in a number of other occult organizations. In 1995, he founded the Servants of the Star and Snake as well as the Sahaja Society, which explored tantric, Kundalini and Sahajayana theory and practice. In addition, Martin wrote and published occult periodicals and newsletters, including
As of June 2008, James Martin continues to practice law in Corpus Christi, Texas.
This collection comprises two journals, a newsletter, and an autobiographical note from James Martin. The two journals, entitled "The Homo File: Episodes in the Life of a Lavender Nigger," contain notes, clippings and photographs documenting Martin's life in Texas and Los Angeles during the years 1971 - 1973. The collection also includes an autobiographical timeline written by Martin and an issue of
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.