Macon Magazine

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2023 | maconmagazine.com 81 eighborhoods are collectives of individuals. However, one man – Frank J. Johnson of historic Unionville – once served as a singular example of what strength, integrity, and compassion can do in creating a sense of community. Beyond Unionville, Johnson's achievements are difficult to overstate. As one of the nation's first Black Marines, Johnson received a Congressional Gold Medal for his military service, integrating Montford Point in North Carolina in the 1940s. A civil rights leader, he was one of the young men who walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma, Alabama, in 1965, and he remained a lifelong change agent as a member of the NAACP, Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Voters League. In the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Johnson was chosen to run one leg of the Torch Relay before the legendary king of boxing, Muhammad Ali, ultimately lit the main flame. Within the neighborhood, his impact was equally meaningful – a saga of nonstop acts of service large and small. Born June 11, 1927, and resting in power since November 20, 2016, we remember the "Mayor of Unionville" this November. The making of a community-minded man The historic Unionville neighborhood in central West Macon bordered by Montpelier Avenue and Anthony Terrace with streets named a er flowers like Lilly, Pansy, Poppy, and Blossom, was once home to several thriving Black owned businesses, immaculate homes, and a model of excellence before desegregation. But with the arrival of I-75, nearby urban renewal and commercialization, and lack of appreciation for the area by too many for too long, it fell on tough times. One community-minded man that never gave up on Unionville N "The Mayor of Unionville" Remembering Frank J. Johnson STORY CLARENCE W. THOMAS, JR. PHOTOS BY DSTO MOORE AND VISIONARY COMMUNICATIONS was Frank J. Johnson. And while he wasn't alone, his legacy is one of putting his love, respect, and appreciation for Unionville into action. This was instilled in him and his nine siblings by his parents following his birth in Macon in 1927. His one and only child that he was gi ed with by his beloved wife Dorothy, Cheryl J. Knight, says her grandparents were very generous. Johnson's mother was once an orphan born enslaved that couldn't read or write, but despite that was quite resourceful and intelligent, says Knight. She served as one of Johnson's inspirations and proved instrumental in how and why he chose to serve others. His other motivation was Dorothy, who he first met while they were students at historic Ballard-Hudson High School. They even attended Savannah State College (now University) together, marrying once graduating. Johnson made history soon a erwards as a member of the Montford Point North Carolina Marines. He and his fellow Black recruits were among the first to integrate that military branch during the mid and late 1940's. The Johnsons eventually settled on Ormand Street in Unionville, where their homestead remains today. It served as his abode and base of operations for the planning and execution of maintaining the neighborhood, says Knight. "He had a true genuine love for where he lived," Knight, a retired Bibb County School District teacher, shared. "My father was one of the most generous people I've ever known along with my mother. He viewed helping others as a heartfelt, human thing." That generosity initially manifested itself in the form of Johnson cutting neighbors' grass that didn't own lawnmowers, fixing roo ops that they couldn't afford to repair, and giving out free food to those whose refrigerators were light. The random acts of kindness became his calling card and the jump off for his making Unionville matter in places it once didn't. Becoming the "Mayor of Unionville" He became a voice for the voiceless and an advocate for his neighborhood primarily in the 1970's and 1980's. His determination led to getting sidewalks, streetlights, and the recreation center bearing his name in place. Using his ability to relate to people Using his ability to relate to people well and win them over, the gentle giant formed relationships with politicians, businessmen and women, the clergy, activists, and others across racial, religious, and socio-economic lines.

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