Paint it Black

Martin K. Johnson-the "K" stood for King-was not named after the famous civil rights advocate in any way, but he was born in the same generation as the now revered reverend and called Mobile Alabama home. He was 23 years of age with a low cut fade that would make it easier for him to transit into military service. It was the style of the day and would be again, roughly 20 years later for young people that is. He was 5'9" in height, and was a light brown color that showed off his full lips and flat nose rather well. A hit with the ladies, he was romancing several women at the time, and had been since high school. Not that that was his full time preoccupation, however. He held two jobs; working in the local shrimp factory, and general store down the street from his boyhood home. At the age of 18 he was told by doctors that he needed glasses, but he couldn't discern any problem with his eyesight, so he ignored their diagnoses. His mother, Mabeline Doris Johnson, was a strong woman who reared the family with dignity and courage; as was needed by an African-American mother in the civil-rights era of the American south. He had two brothers and sisters. And he was 3rd from the youngest. The oldest two siblings had attended college at Alabama A&M, a HBCU (historically black college and university) located in his home state. And returned home to work in their respective fields of sociology and nursing. It was something Martin admired, who never attended college, and used to brag about to his friends, who lacked the discipline to accomplish such feats. Although he had no formal training of any kind, he was very industrious, and hoped that one day he could open up a store of his own, or start some sort of business that would help his family and lend status to their name. People considered him handsome, and his looks bought him a lot of time in various social circles. He would often treat his lady friends to nights out at the clubs around Mobile. And was known to parley with several "notorious" characters. Drugs, like sex, kept the day-to-day laborers, like him, and those who were battered by the high stress jobs in the city, in line with the more seedy aspects of southern life. The feelings of lack of opportunity and oppression grew on those who sought an escape from the ills of the world. Martin, like others, was no stranger to the realities of a Black man in the America of the 60's. He had seen the racism and hatred that fueled militant groups, such as the Black Panthers and Black Muslims. And also had witnessed the peaceful, non-violent movements of Dr. Martin Luther King and SNICK and CORE. He had almost participated in the march from Selma to Montgomery, in his home state, but declined due to the pressure from his friends; who believed that such a statement from them was totally unnecessary at the time. He had just begun his twenties then. Although he didn't participate, he watched on T.V. with the rest of the country. As the struggle revealed itself to the entire nation. It was a difficult period for Martin and the rest of the country. When he was younger he could appreciate the simplicity and honor of the civil rights struggle led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others. Now, in the wake of the Watts riots and others across the country, he felt more militant and angry at his white countrymen. Something about Kwame Ture's (Stokely Charmicheal's) Black Power movement spoke to him now. The year was 1967. It was mid-summer, and Martin was approaching a fork in the road of his young life. He had seen the recruiting posters and advertisements for military service, and witnessed the Vietnam war unfold on the T.V. screen along with the rest of the nation. He didn't consider himself a "fighting man". He thought he was more of a lover. But several of his childhood friends had been drafted, and one, Charles Dubois, had even returned, so he heard. He wanted to look him up, and maybe pay a visit, but from what he'd heard of those who'd fought over there he figured that it might not be wise to talk to him now. His friends at work talked about the war during lunch and breaks. It was the favorite subject next to sports and women. Many of them had friends or relatives serving, and they related their stories of the experience to each other, complementing what came across their television screens at night. Tonight was a clear summer evening, and Martin chose to drive with a girlfriend of his to the beach. They took his '63 Pontiac, and cruised through the city, meeting with some of her friends at a popular night spot. Then headed towards the Gulf.