Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1952-07-11

Chicago, nl,--FiVe years ago
the family Of DR.. Albert c. John
ston opened the doors Of their
spacious home In Keene, New
Hampshire and invited the nation
10 step in and listen 10 one Of the
most amazing stories Of the gen
GRAFTON.
Through the columns Of
Readers Digest" and later In a
best seller book and q penstrat-
ing movie, the dramatic and fear
ful story Of the Johnston family
was unfoldsd for the whole world.
With courage and determination,
DIR. Johnston. his wife and four
children told the world Of their
secret: We are Negroes who have
been passing M whites for the
last Is years. Now we are becom-
ing Negroes once again.
Overnight, a. millions read the
Johnston story and saw the
forceful picture produced by able
Louis DE ROchsmont, the family
became popularity know as the
Lost Boundaries" family.
Since then everyone. including
the Johnstons. wondered. What
will happen. now that their secret
II out and they have taken up
their lives a. Negroes
Today. In an equally dramatic
account. EBONY Magazine. one
Of the leading publications in the
world, tells for the first time In
its current issue just what has
happened 10 the Johnstons in the
five years since their little Sc
Cret became known 10 the world.
To-day, DR.. and Mrs. Johnston
still reside quietly In the pictur-
esque New England town Of
Keene." writes Miss CIotye Muir
dock, associate editor of EBONY.
The physician's practice rather
than diminishing, has increased
tremendously. Three Of the four
Johnston children have grown up
and moved away from Keene. The
youngest child, Paul. is away at
school. Two of the Johnston chill
dren, Donald and Anne, married
white mates. while the oldest boy,
Albert. married q Negro girl All
Of the married children say they
are happy and have few problems
because OF their race"
Many wondered. after reading
the story and seeing the movie
about the JohnatOn's. just how
they were going 10 be accepted by
their neighborA now that they are
taking up life again Rs Negroes.
Nothing significant happen
ed" insists the doctor and his
wife. Nothing except that we
continued TO live a. equals In q
town which wears It's democracy
like a shining shield"
The doctor, who In q radiologist,
says he has never encountered
race prejudice among patients re-
ferred TO him. He and his wife
have dropped out of all OF the
oitys social clubs since admit
ting they were Negroes.
Although they have admitted TO
the world that they are Negroes,
the JohnAtons still tlptoe across
the color lines whenever the oc-
castor demonds II, reports Miss
Murdoch. when they go south
they always make the trip a.
white people" in order TO avoid
discrimination"
Many Americans wondered. too,
what about the children, who
have been brought up a. whites,
Miss Murdoch says the strongest
rcpcrcusalons from publication OF
Lost Boundaries" were felt by
the Johnston children.
The most affected, says the
EBONY writer, was Albert now
% years old. married to q coIorrd
girl and living and working In
Los Angeles, His job was one that
only a white man could handle.
and II he had been asked his race,
says Albert, he would have said
he was white for Il was taught
TO answer that way a. . little kid
and I've never answered any other
way"
Albert Ia outSpcken on the Is
sue Of white-Negro relations, and
Is writing q book. an explosive,
controversial" book on his ex-
pertcnces,
Or. Johnstun's decision 10 dts
close his secret may have more
rePerCuSsinns later on among his
children, perhaps his Erandchii-
En