The annual second-line started in 1993, after the death of jazzman and raconteur Danny Barker. Johnson got together with musicians Greg Stafford and Benny Jones to create Black Men of Labor, an organization devoted to New Orleans' heritage.

Along with parading, the group mentors young musicians and honors working people -- from waiters to political leaders -- as it celebrates the city's craftsmen, chefs and Mardi Gras Indians.