Albert C. Johnston

Albert C. Johnston (died 1988)[1] was a doctor who, along with his family, passed as white in Gorham and then Keene, New Hampshire. William Lindsay White wrote a Readers Digest article about the family and a short book was published from it in 1948. In 1949 a film adapted from the book about the family was released. Both the film and book were titled Lost Boundaries and were based on the family's experiences.[2] In 1989 a follow-up film, Lost Boundaries Reunion was made with interviews of family memberd.[3]

Johnston was from Chicago and studied at Rust College. He interned at Maine General Hospital.[4] Johnston had trouble finding work but was eventually able to secure employment as a doctor by passing as white. He was a country doctor and radiologist in Gorham and Keene, New Hampshire.[3] He entered the Navy as a commissioned officer but the offer was rescinded. He eventually uncovered that the decision was a result of his ethnic background.[3]

His son, Albert C. Johnston Jr., one of four children, composed music including songs used in the film about the family.[3]Johnston Sr. retired to Hawaii.[5]

Except for supporting cast members, white actors were used for the film.[2] The film was banned in Atlanta and Memphis.

A high school student wrote about Johnston and his home in 2001.[6] In 2013, Stanford University professor Allyson Hobbs wrote about the Johnstons and their passing in her book A Chosen Exile: A History of Racial Passing .[7]

References
  1. "Albert Johnston, 87, Focus of Film on Race". June 28, 1988 – via NYTimes.com.
  2. Robinson, J. Dennis. "History Matters: The story behind 'Lost Boundaries'". seacoastonline.com.
  3. "Johnston Mural".
  4. "Landmark '49 Film About Family Passing for White Recalled". Los Angeles Times. July 25, 1989.
  5. "Albert C. Johnston Jr". SentinelSource.com.
  6. KATZ, ZEKE. "The home of Dr. Albert C. Johnston in Keene". SentinelSource.com.
  7. "Stanford historian re-examines practice of racial 'passing' | Stanford News Release". news.stanford.edu. December 18, 2013.
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