A man who helped change the face of Newton County in the late 1960s and 1970s was honored for the sacrifices he made as a civil rights icon who led the way in integrating Covington's schools and businesses. Richard Johnson, 74, received the Martin Luther King Jr. Trailblazer Award from the Newton County Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Observance Committee at the annual MLK Ecumenical Program held on Sunday. He was awarded for being one of the many leaders during the civil rights movement in Newton County.