Johnson, Osa, 1894-1953

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Osa Johnson (March 14, 1894 – January 7, 1953) was an American adventurer and documentary filmmaker with her spouse Martin Johnson. In the first half of the 20th century the couple captured the public's imagination through their films and books of adventure in exotic, faraway lands. Photographers, explorers, marketers, naturalists and authors, Martin and Osa studied the wildlife and peoples of East and Central Africa, the South Pacific Islands and British North Borneo. They explored then-unknown lands and brought back film footage and photographs, offering many Americans their first understanding of these distant lands. Osa Leighty was born on March 14, 1894, and raised in Chanute, Kansas. In 1917, Martin and Osa departed on a nine-month trip through the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) and the Solomon Islands. The highlight of the trip was a brief, but harrowing, encounter with a tribe called the Big Nambas of northern Malekula. Once there, the chief was not going to let them leave. The intervention of a British gunboat helped them escape. The footage they got there inspired the feature film Among the Cannibal Isles of the South Seas (1918).
Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Train, Russell E., 1920-. Russell E. Train interviews General Elwood R. Quesada about his safari to East Africa in 1932. American Museum of Natural History
referencedIn Lisfranc, Jean. Mon carnet de brousse : sur la piste fauve des grands seigneurs des savanes et des forêts africaines / Jean Lisfranc. American Museum of Natural History
creatorOf Johnson, Martin, 1884-1937. Martin and Osa Johnson papers [microform], 1933-1934. Kansas State Historical Society
referencedIn Photographs, 1910-1952. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Getts, Clark H. Papers, 1932-1980. Univerisity of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
creatorOf William King Gregory papers, 1889-1948 (bulk 1906-1948) American Museum of Natural History
referencedIn New York Times Company records. Arthur Hays Sulzberger papers, 1823-1999 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Field photographs, 1921-1935. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn [Biographical newspaper articles on Osa Johnson / collected and photocopied by the Kansas State Historical Society]. Kansas State Historical Society
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company contracts, 1831-1979 (inclusive) 1880-1940 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Martin Johnson papers, 1923-1942 American Museum of Natural History
referencedIn George Brinton Beal papers, circus collection, and other theatrical collections, 1862-1969. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Special Films Collection: Expedition films, 1912-1960. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Records, 1923-1941, 1923-1934 (bulk) New York State Historical Documents Inventory
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Museum of Natural History. corporateBody
associatedWith Beal, George Brinton. person
associatedWith Getts, Clark H. person
associatedWith Gregory, William K. (William King), 1876-1970. person
associatedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
spouseOf Johnson, Martin, 1884-1937. person
associatedWith Lisfranc, Jean. person
associatedWith Martin Johnson African Expedition (1921-1935) corporateBody
associatedWith Martin Johnson African Expedition Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith New York Times Company corporateBody
associatedWith Train, Russell E., 1920- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Chanute KS US
New York City NY US
Subject
Occupation
Documentary Filmmaker
Activity

Person

Birth 1894-03-14

Death 1953-01-07

Americans

English

Information

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