John Wilson became the steel-driving vigilante John Henry, trying to squash the Ku Klux Klan in Tennessee.
History
John Wilson was a veteran of the Korean War. After the conflict, Wilson was discharged and took work in a local machine shop and settled down in Knoxville, Tennessee with his wife Lucille and baby daughter Loretta. On the night of March 17, 1955, John and his family were attacked by the local Ku Klux Klan. He was badly beaten but survived, while his family was burned to death. After the death of his family, John was devastated and wanting revenge, began following the members of this Klan. Eventually, he forged two iron sledge hammers and became the vigilante known as John Henry; styling himself eponymously after the character "John Henry", from folklore.
For three months, John plagued this Klan and killed two of it's members. John's reputation attracted the news media and remained a hot topic with the public, including in the mind of tthe Martian J'onn J'onzz, who viewed him admirably.[1]
Eventually John was wounded by the Klan and stumbled into a backyard were was discovered by a young girl who outed him causing him burned alive.[1]
His death didn't go unnoticed and his endeavors were highlighted on the television news show The Big Picture. J'onn J'onzz saw this and became dismayed with Wilson's death.[1]
"Here Lies A Steel Drivin' Man."
Following the defeat of The Centre, a young John Henry Irons sat reading near John Wilson's gravestone.[2]
Paraphernalia
Weapons
- 2 Sledgehammers
Appearances in Other Media
- In the animated adaption of Justice League: The New Frontier John's picture on the front page of Time magazine appears on J'onn J'onzz's wall. He also appears on the television news right before The Flash's interrupted announcement.
Related
- 8 Appearances of John Wilson (Earth-21)
- 5 Images featuring John Wilson (Earth-21)
- Quotations by or about John Wilson (Earth-21)
- Character Gallery: John Wilson (Earth-21)
Footnotes
  This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or simply the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. |