Interview with Kenton Martin, April 28, 2013

Interview Summary

This oral history interview took place on Sunday, April 28, 2013 on the River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University between Kenton Martin (interviewee) and Jarod Shumaker (interviewer). This interview covers the biographical information of Mr. Martin along with his lengthy career (30+ years) in law enforcement. He has served as a member of the United States Navy and has served as a law enforcement officer in the states of Florida, Missouri, and Illinois. He has worked inside super maximum security prisons in the state of Illinois, and the focus of this interview is on the time spent in those particular facilities. Mr. Martin also discusses racism during the 60s and how this affected his outlook on his own life and on society. Mr. Martin now serves as a law enforcement officer on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University in the city of Cape Girardeau, MO.

Interview Keyword

Cairo, Illinois Cape Girardeau, Missouri United States Navy CETA Program Pelican Bay Research Closed prison populations Open prison populations Super maximum-security prisons Springfield, Illinois Integrated public schools Carbondale, Illinois Pensacola, Florida Vietnam Police academy Chester, Illinois Prison guards

Interview LC Subject

Prisons. Law enforcement.

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.