D. G. Martin

Who is D. G. Martin?

D. G. Martin is the host of UNC-TV’s “North Carolina Bookwatch,” a retired lawyer, politician, and university administrator.

Though born in Atlanta, Martin grew up in Davidson, North Carolina, where his father served as president of Davidson College. Martin attended Davidson College, where he played on the basketball team for Coach Lefty Driesell. After graduating, he was commissioned in the United States Army. Following completion of Airborne School, Martin served in the U.S. Army’s Special Forces. After leaving active duty, Martin graduated from Yale Law School and then entered the practice of law in Charlotte, NC.

In 1984 and 1986, Martin narrowly lost two races for Congress to Alex McMillan for a seat that has not been held by a Democrat since 1952. He later served as both the Secretary and a Vice-President for the University of North Carolina system. In 1998, he ran for the U.S. Senate, finishing second to John Edwards in the Democratic primary. After that race, Martin took on interim leadership positions at North Carolina Central University, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, The Trust for Public Land, and the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund.

Martin writes a weekly column that appears in over 40 newspapers across North Carolina, including The Raleigh Telegram, The Chapel Hill News, The Chatham Journal, The Elkin Tribune, Mountain Xpress, The Pilot, and The Randolph Guide. Since 1999, Martin has hosted North Carolina Bookwatch, a literary television show on UNC-TV, North Carolina’s public television network. He also hosts a daily radio interview show on AM radio station WCHL in Chapel Hill and is the author of "Interstate Eateries", a guide to local restaurants in North Carolina. He is married and has two adult children, including state legislator Grier Martin. Martin enjoys running and has completed several marathons.