Martin and Osa Johnson: For the Love of Adventure

In this installment of ‘Profiles in History,’ we meet a couple whose love of adventure gave Americans the chance to see the world’s most exotic places.

Martin and Osa Johnson were ahead of their time in filming wildlife documentaries of far-flung places. Courtesy of Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum

Martin Johnson (1884–1937) was born for adventure. He was bored with school and his grades reflected his boredom. In high school, he was expelled after a relatively harmless prank. The prank was due in part to his closest companion: his camera.

Before his expulsion, Johnson could often be found wandering the halls of his Kansas high school, camera in hand. Students rarely took issue with having their photos taken, seeing that photography was somewhat of a phenomenon, especially for high schoolers.