Trayvon Martin’s father decided to honor his son’s legacy by getting a tattoo in commemoration of him.
Seen on Tuesday’s episode of VH1’s Black Ink Chicago, Martin stopped by Chicago tattoo shop 9 Mag to talk to artist Van Johnson.
The 17-year-old was shot and killed in 2012 by former neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who was infamously acquitted of murder charges in 2013.
Trayvon Martin’s father decided to honor his son’s legacy by getting a tattoo in commemoration (pictured). Seen on Tuesday’s episode of VH1’s Black Ink Chicago, Tracy Martin stopped by tattoo shop 9 Mag to talk to artist Van Johnson
‘To me, he’s a king. And he was my king before his situation happened,’ Martin said. ‘I thought it would be fitting to take it back to Ancient Egyot. Like the sphinx is one of the wonders of the world. Trevon was my wonder of the world,’ Tracy Martin said
The 17-year-old (right, seen as a child) was shot and killed in 2012 by former neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman (left), who was infamously acquitted of murder charges in 2013
At the beginning of the show, Johnson and Martin sat down to discuss what tattoo the father wanted.
‘I just thought how my son galvanized the country. To me, he’s a king. And he was my king before his situation happened,’ Martin said.
‘I thought it would be fitting to take it back to Ancient Egyot. Like the sphinx is one of the wonders of the world. Trayvon was my wonder of the world.’
With that in mind, Johnson got to work, crafting a tattoo that shows the face of a young Trevon surrounded by the Egyptian Headdress worn by pharaohs of the empire with some shadows of pyramids in the background.
After the tattoo was completed, Johnson showed Tracy Martin the final result in the mirror with the father commenting: ‘Wow it looks just like him too,” he said.
Johnson shared pictures and videos of the tattoo on Instagram. The post has been liked more than 52,000 times.
In the caption he wrote: ‘This piece tonight on Black Ink Chicago for Tracy Martin, FATHER OF TRAYVON MARTIN, thank you Brother for this amazing experience…
Johnson got to work, crafting a tattoo that shows the face of a young Trevon surrounded by the Egyptian Headdress worn by pharaohs of the empire with some shadows of pyramids in the background
Johnson shared pictures and videos of the tattoo on Instagram. The post has been liked more than 52,000 times
George Zimmerman, who was volunteer patrolling in Sanford, Florida, called police on February 26, 2012, reporting Martin (pictured) because he thought the hooded teenager looked suspicious
Before police arrived, Zimmerman (pictured, November 2013) had followed Martin and shot him dead. On July 13 the following year, he was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter.
The killing of Trayvon Martin gripped the nation. bringing the issues of police brutality and unjust actions against people of color to light (Pictured, Trayvon Martin’s parents Trayvon Martin and Sybrina Fulton arrive for Zimmerman’s trial in July 2013)
‘#RIP #trayvonmartin THE WORLD LOVES YOU BUT POP LOVES YOU MORE AND I GOT HIM RIGHT [FOR] YOU YOUNG KING.’
The killing of Trayvon Martin gripped the nation. bringing the issues of police brutality and unjust actions against people of color to light
George Zimmerman, who was volunteer patrolling in Sanford, Florida, called police on February 26, 2012, reporting Martin because he thought the hooded teenager looked suspicious.
Before police arrived, Zimmerman had followed Martin and shot him dead.
On July 13 the following year, he was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter.
Since then, he has had a series of run-ins with the law and courted online controversy a number of times by bragging about killing the African-American teenager on social media.